SPRING 2022
THE INTERNATIONAL MAGAZINE OF SPRING MANUFACTURE
A Publication of the Spring Manufacturers Institute / Vol. 61, No. 2
NavigatiNg today’s Unpredictable Supply Chain
The Supply Chain Challenge......32 Ransomware Readiness and Recovery......38 SMI Introduces First 300-Level Spring Design Course......41 2001 Midwest Rd., Suite 106 Oak Brook, IL 60523-1335 Change Service Requested
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President’s Message From Gene Huber, Jr.
Leaning Into the Work Ahead Greetings fellow spring manufacturers! When Lou Holtz was first named the head football coach of Notre Dame, he was asked by a reporter what that felt like. He was rumored to have said: “Well, I am 5'7" tall, look like I have the scurvy and talk with a lisp… what do you think it feels like to be named the head coach of Notre Dame?” Like Lou, I am humbled to be able to represent an organization like SMI as the new president and would like to take this chance to introduce myself and hopefully muse a little bit on the state of our industry. My name is Gene Huber, and I am the executive vice president of Winamac Coil Spring, which is a familyowned business located in northern Indiana. I personally have been in the spring industry since the late 80s, while our company will celebrate its 74th anniversary later this year. Throughout my career, it has been my great pleasure to learn from some of the true scholars in our industry through SMI, like Dan Sebastian, Chuck Pepka, Ed Lanke and Ed Hamilton. I have also had the chance to work on various SMI committees with some of the really learned individuals and advanced thinkers of our time. I personally think that this is what makes our industry and organization great. We share not necessarily our secret sauces, but the bedrock of fundamental truths about our products. This is not for our glory, but truly to help others understand and learn from the mistakes we have made as well as share successes we have experienced. This issue of our magazine is dedicated to navigating the supply chain in “unpredictable” circumstances. This is in contrast to “predictable” circumstances, where according to Webster, “we have the ability to declare in advance” or “to foretell based on past observations, experiences or scientific reason.” Looking at the descriptions above seems to bring today’s headlines completely into focus! Please humor me for a moment: a) Can any of us predict the lead time or plan for a firm delivery date on items we have on order? b) I would personally like to know anyone who can predict what we will be paying for materials through the coming year. c) We aren’t even sure what scientific reason, deduction, questioning and probing is anymore… Well, enough of that! What is predictable? We as springmakers will somehow figure out a way to get what we need and keep supplying our customers with what they need. Now, how do we actually push that mantra, gain the commitment from our employees and ourselves and keep muscling through whatever situation comes about? We will do it as we always have, by putting our heads down and leaning into the work ahead. We will reach out to each other for advice and help along the way, and in essence be good, productive citizens of whatever country we belong to. That, my friends, is what manufacturers and especially we springmakers do! Best of luck. Let’s attack the rest of this new year together! Live a crazy good day and God Bless! Gene Huber, Jr.
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SMI Executive Committee President: Gene Huber, Jr., Winamac Coil Spring Vice President: Don Jacobson III, Newcomb Spring Secretary/Treasurer: David DeVoe, Plymouth Spring Past President: Bert Goering, Precision Coil Spring Executive Director: Lynne Carr, SMI
SMI Board of Directors Jennelle Carlier, S3 Wireform • Kelley Christy, Diamond Wire Spring • Dave Deerwester, The Yost Superior Co. • Joe Devany, Betts Company • Chris Fazio, Diamond Wire Spring • Linda Froehlich, Ace Wire Spring & Form • Brett Goldberg, International Spring • Agustin Estalayo Ibanez, RPK Mexico SA de CV • Don Lyons, JonSpring • Peter Mendel, Kern-Liebers USA • Rob Meyers, RK Trading • Alex Melnikow, Midstate Spring • Tony Pesaresi, Winamac Coil Spring • Keith Porter, Newcomb Spring • Tim Zwit, Michigan Spring and Stamping
Springs Magazine Staff Lynne Carr, Advertising Sales, lynne@smihq.org Gary McCoy, Managing Editor, gmccoy@fairwaycommunications.com Dina Sanchez, Assistant Editor, dina@smihq.org Lisa Plefka Haskin, Art Director, lisahaskin95@gmail.com
Springs Magazine Committee Chair, Keith Porter, Newcomb Spring • Reb Banas, Stanley Spring & Stamping • Lynne Carr, SMI • Hale Foote, Scandic Springs, Inc. • Patrick Gillum, Gilco Spring of Florida, Inc. • Adam Jacobson, FENN/Torin • Lucas Karabin, Acme Monaco • Michael Shapiro, Gibraltar Corporation • Europe Liaison: Wolfgang Hermann, VDFI • Technical Advisor: Dan Sebastian Advertising sales - Japan Ken Myohdai, Sakura International Inc. Head Office: 3F,4F, ENDO Sakaisuji Bldg., 1-7-3, Bingomachi, Chuo-Ku, Osaka 541-0051, Japan Phone: 81-6-6624-3601 • Fax: 81-6-6624-3602 Tokyo Global Office: 5F Kamei No. 2 Bldg., 2-17-13, Kiba, Koto-Ku, Tokyo, 135-0042, Japan Phone: 81-3-5646-1160 • Fax: 81-3-5646-1161 E-mail: info@sakurain.co.jp Advertising sales - Europe Jennie Franks, Franks & Co. 63 St. Andrew’s Road Cambridge United Kingdom CB41DH Phone/Fax: +44-1223-360472 E-mail: franksco@BTopenworld.com Advertising sales - Taiwan Robert Yu, Worldwide Services Co. Ltd. 11F-B, No 540, Sec. 1, Wen Hsin Rd. Taichung, Taiwan Phone: +886-4-2325-1784 • Fax: +886-4-2325-2967 E-mail: stuart@wwstaiwan.com Springs (ISSN 0584-9667) is published quarterly by SMI Business Corp., a subsidiary of the Spring Manufacturers Institute: 2001 Midwest Road, Suite 106, Oak Brook, IL 60523; Phone: (630) 495-8588; Web site www.smihq.org. Address all correspondence and editorial materials to this address. The editors and publishers of Springs disclaim all warranties, express or implied, with respect to advertising and editorial content, and with respect to all manufacturing errors, defects or omissions made in connection with advertising or editorial material submitted for publication. The editors and publishers of Springs disclaim all liability for special or consequential damages resulting from errors, defects or omissions in the manufacturing of this publication, any submission of advertising, editorial or other material for publication in Springs shall constitute an agreement with and acceptance of such limited liability. The editors and publishers of Springs assume no responsibility for the opinions or facts in signed articles, except to the extent of expressing the view, by the fact of publication, that the subject treated is one which merits attention. Do not reproduce without written permission. Cover designed by Lisa Plefka Haskin utilizing Shutterstock photographic imagery.
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Contents
Navigating Today’s Unpredictable Supply Chain
32 FEATURES
28 Navigating Today’s Unpredictable Supply Chain By Gary McCoy
32 The Supply Chain Challenge: Springmakers Bolster Inventories, Woo Suppliers to Keep Customers Happy By Phillip M. Perry
36 How Manufacturers Can Navigate Supply Chain Challenges 38 Ransomware Readiness and Recovery By Bryce Austin
40 Information You Can Use Today By C. Richard Gordon
41 SMI Introduces First 300-Level Spring Design Course By Gary McCoy
36 COLUMNS
17 Be Aware Safety Tips
Meeting OSHA Mandates By Laura Helmrich-Rhodes
21 Dean of Springs
Using Statistics to Diagnose Problems By Dan Sebastian
23 Technically Speaking
A Most Interesting Failure Analysis Project By C. Richard Gordon
38 DEPARTMENTS
2 President’s Message
Leaning Into the Work Ahead
7 Global Highlights 14 Regional Spring Association Report 42 Flashback
SMI Annual Market Summary
45 Five Questions
Gibraltar Corporation
47 Springmaker Spotlight
Gene Huber, Jr., Winamac Coil Spring By Gary McCoy
55 Book Corner 57 CTE News 59 Inside SMI 63 Committee Connection 65 New Products 67 Advertisers’ Index 68 Snapshot
Markus Arnold, WAFIOS
4 | SPRINGS | Spring 2022
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Global Highlights North America
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Acme Monaco Corporation, a leading manufacturer of orthodontic hardware, medical guidewires and a Presque Isle, Maine business community fixture since 1989, has been recognized by Governor Janet Mills with the state of Maine’s 2021 Governor’s Award for Business Excellence (GABE). Awarded annually to outstanding Maine businesses in three categories (Heritage Industry, Rural Revitalization and Innovation), the 2021 Governor’s Award for Business Excellence was recently presented to Acme Monaco via Zoom by Governor Mills and Maine Department of Economic and Business Development Commissioner Heather Johnson. Acme Monaco was cited in the Heritage Industry category (excellence in the forest industry, manufacturing sector or marine economy), joining fellow awardees Ware-Butler Building Supply (Rural Revitalization) and ReVision Energy (Innovation).
Acme Monaco CEO Michael Karabin (center) is joined by Co-Presidents Lucas Karabin (left) and Rebecca Karabin-Ahern at the company’s Presque Isle, Maine plant. The company was presented with Maine’s Governor’s Award for Business Excellence.
“These extraordinary businesses continue to meet the challenges of the pandemic with innovation and ingenuity, adapting to meet the needs of Maine people. Every day they provide good paying, rewarding jobs that keep people here in Maine and attract talented people to our state,” said Governor Mills. “As we continue our work to strengthen Maine’s economy and make Maine more competitive across the world, these businesses are a critical part of our effort. I congratulate them on this well-deserved honor.” “The Karabin Family and Acme Monaco Presque Isle team sincerely appreciate this special recognition by Governor Mills, and we are humbled by being honored with the Governor’s Award for Business Excellence,” said Acme Monaco co-president Rebecca Karabin-Ahern. “Our people make our company great, and our employees — the best in the industry — are the bedrock upon which this award is based. We look forward to continuing to make life-saving catheter guidewires and beautiful smiles here in Maine for years to come.” Located in the Skyway Industrial Park in Presque Isle and headquartered in New Britain, Connecticut, Acme Monaco manufactures the largest number of orthodontic wires in the world at its 16,300-square-foot Presque Isle plant, which boasts a 3,000-square-foot, Class 100,000 cleanroom for catheter guidewire production. The company, which employs 52 in Presque Isle and is actively hiring on all shifts to add 15 more positions to meet worldwide demand, is Food and Drug Administration registered, along with ISO 9001 and EN ISO 13485.
Bill Krauss
Vulcan Spring & Mfg. Co. has announced the promotion of Bill Krauss to president. A 37-year veteran of the spring industry, the past 25 of which were spent with Vulcan, Krauss previously held the position of chief operating officer. “After working together with Bill for many years to build Vulcan into the premier flat steel spring manufacturer in the industry, it was clear that it was time to entrust Bill to lead the team into the future,” stated Scott Rankin, who now becomes chairman of the board. He added, “Bill is a man of extreme integrity, and I’m certain he will succeed in implementing our aggressive growth strategy.” “I am very honored to succeed Scott Rankin as president of Vulcan, and excited to lead the charge toward continued growth and success. With the team we have assembled and continue to build upon, I am confident that Vulcan will become an even stronger force in our industry,” stated Krauss. As a result of this change, Glenn Stewart (chief financial officer), Dave Frederick (vice president of operations), and Paul Jarossy (vice president of sales and marketing) will now report directly to Krauss.
SPRINGS | Spring 2022 | 7
Global Highlights
JN Machinery moved to a new plant in July 2021 in Carpentersville, Ilinois. According to owner Daniel Pierre III, “The new plant is 3.5 times larger, and has improved trucking docks so we can load/ unload on a level surface. The reduced time allows my guys to dedicate more time to production and testing. JN generally likes to have a lot of finished goods inventory and now we have space to hold inventory and keep it separate from the production area. The move allowed us to get rid of a lot of junk and reposition production and assembly areas in a meaningful manner, providing the way to a much smoother throughput and a more efficient process.” On Dec. 23, 2021, JN Machinery acquired Furnace Fixers, a company that produced similar machinery. All of Furnace Fixers’ equipment and workers have moved into the new facilities in Carpentersville. Furnace Fixers was JN’s original original equipment manufacturer (OEM) for conveyor ovens in the 1980s. Daniel Pierre Jr. designed the ovens for use internally at his company, North American Spring & Stamping located in Elk Grove Village, Illinois, and asked Furnace Fixers to produce them for him. Upon realizing how well these ovens improved the springmaking process, Daniel Pierre Jr. decided to sell North American Spring & Stamping and concentrate on making conveyor ovens for all springmakers. This was when JN Machinery was born, in May 1985. “As demand increased over the years, JN started working with an additional OEM which was larger and had more capacity,” said Pierre III. “Slowly, orders with Furnace Fixers diminished and they eventually took the JN designs and started making their own brand of ovens. In a way, JN created their own competitor.” The two companies continued to compete for about 30 years, when Duane LaMotte at Furnace Fixers asked Pierre III in 2020 if JN would be interested in purchasing Furnace Fixers and operating a larger, merged company. A year later, a deal was finally struck, and JN Machinery is now producing both JN and MKP brands under one roof.
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International The Chris Westwood Charity, which helps fund the purchase of mobility, sensory and vision equipment for children living within a 50-mile radius of Stourbridge, has become the latest beneficiary of Alloy Wire International’s “Wired for Good” campaign. A £7500 donation has taken the organization’s total fundraising to over £1million since it was started by Chris Westwood 18 years ago, with all the proceeds going toward supporting 850 young people to live more independent lives. The AWI money has already been allocated to four recipients, who will receive life-changing special car seats and exercise trikes to help them in overcoming transportation issues and in building strength and stamina. “As part of our 75th birthday celebrations we wanted to create a positive legacy for the big milestone, so we committed to becoming carbon neutral (already achieved) and agreed to donate to four local charities,” explained Mark Venables, managing director of Alloy Wire International. Like many charities, The Chris Westwood Charity for Children with Physical Disabilities has endured a tough 18 months due to the pandemic, with many fundraising events being canceled and day-to-day assessments being delayed due to the risk of COVID-19 transmission.
Pictured (l-to-r): Chris Westwood and Mark Venables
Despite the restrictions, the organization has managed to catch up with all the applications and is still on course to award £100,000 of grants this year, to aid mobility or provide comfort for those with severe life-limiting conditions. Chris Westwood, who has already pledged to leave his own estate to the charity, continued: “Typically, we fund anything from walkers, standing frames and specialist car seats to exercise trikes, hoists, sensory equipment and vision aids.“ Westwood concluded: “Support from companies like Alloy Wire International is crucial, especially following the recent pandemic, and we’re delighted that a Black Country firm’s contribution has taken us past £1m raised since 2003. “The next target is to raise another £1m and continue our work in helping children with physical disabilities.” Alloy Wire International, which manufactures round, flat and profile wire for more than 5,000 customers, was founded in 1946. The company’s founding principles of “manufacturing quality, delivering reliability” has stood the test of time and still remains a crucial part of how it deals with its global client base, spanning automotive, aerospace, medical, nuclear and oil and gas. For further information, visit www.chriswestwoodcharity.co.uk or www.alloywire.com.
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An open letter from ISW.
To our valued customers: dustry is changing in r ou in ng hi yt er ev e lik s It seem right now. ues and ongoing iss n ai ch ly pp su g in ng le al Ch wondering what y od yb er ev ve ha ns er nc co y deliver will happen next. can count on: Through u yo g in th e on e th ’s re he t Bu s never wavered. ha W IS of t en itm m m co e th it all, hing in our power to We will continue to do everyt you’re not an ISW support our customers. And if time to discover that ct rfe pe e th is w no , er m sto cu business. we will work harder for your will never change That’s the ISW way. And that Sincerely, The entire team at ISW
©2022 Industrial Steel & Wire Company
Bristol CT 800-767-4792
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Global Highlights
Messe Düsseldorf has postponed wire (International Wire and Cable Trade Fair) and Tube (International Tube and Pipe Trade Fair) to June 20–24, 2022 at the fairgrounds in Düsseldorf, Germany in consultation with the partners and associations involved. The current high incidence of infection and the rapidly spreading Omicron variant have resulted in adjustments in the Düsseldorf trade show calendar, making it necessary to postpone wire and Tube, originally scheduled for May 9–13. The new date offers more planning security and added value due to the concurrently held guest event METAV, International Exhibition for Metalworking Technologies. Organized by the German Machine Tool Builders’ Association (VDW), the event was already postponed to June 21–24, 2022. As the No. 1 international trade shows for their industries, wire and Tube have global appeal and require particularly long lead times. Traditionally, two-thirds of all exhibitors travel to Düsseldorf from abroad every two years. Trade visitors from over 80 countries have traditionally taken part in wire and Tube at peak times. The new trade show dates from June 20–24, 2022, therefore provide these industries with clear planning security. Exhibitors at wire will present their innovations in halls 9 to 15, while Tube exhibitors will showcase their products in halls 1 to 7a. METAV will be located in halls 16 and 17. For further information on wire, Tube or METAV, contact Messe Düsseldorf North America at 312-781-5180; Email: info@mdna.com; or visit www.wiretradefair.com, www.tube-tradefair.com and www.metav.com and www.mdna. com. You can also follow the organization on Twitter at http://twitter.com/ mdnachicago. For hotel and travel information, contact TTI Travel, Inc. at 866-674-3476; fax: 212-674-3477; email: info@ttitravel.net or visit www.ttitravel.net
The Japan Society of Spring Engineers (JSSE) held its semiannual Lecture Meeting, including a poster session via online by Zoom platform, Nov. 12, 2021. Nine general lectures were presented prior to the meeting via network to 124 applicants, including 103 participants to the question-and-answer session, online via Zoom. The opening speech was delivered by Haruhiko Shiba, vice
chairperson of JSSE and managing director of Chuo Spring Co., Ltd. The lectures were as follows: 1. “Estimating the S-N Curve by Machine Learning Random Forest Method,” by Dr. Nobuo Nagashima, senior researcher of National Institute for Materials Science. 2. “Development of Copper-Coated High-Strength Electrical Wire,” by
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THE MORE THINGS CHANGE, THE MORE OUR CUSTOMERS STAY WITH ISW.
It seems like everything in our industry is changing right now. But our customers know they can always count on ISW for: • Exceptional service from true industry experts • Competitively-priced carbon, stainless and non-ferrous wire • More than 400,000 sq. ft. of warehousing throughout North America • Custom wire services for special projects That’s the ISW way. And that will never change.
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Global Highlights
Kenta Matsuoka of Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd. “Anomalies in the Relaxation Time of Pseudoelastic Residual Displacement of Heat-treated Perlite Steel Compression Springs at the A0 Transformation Point,” by Dr. Shigeo Kotake, professor at Mie University. “A Study on Prediction and Validation For Hardenability Of Spring Steel,” by Yoshitaka Tamaki of Chuo Spring Co., Ltd. “Analysis of Large Deformations in a Hexagonal Frame Structure (Towards Deformation Analysis in a Medical Device: Stent),” by Dr. Atsumi Ohtsuki, professor at Meijo University. “Relation Between Reciprocity of Transfer Functions for Mechanical Vibration System and Optimal Design Formulas of Dynamic Vibration Absorbers,” by Dr. Toshihiko Asami, professor at University of Hyogo. “Multiaxial Fatigue Strength of Metal Structural Materials Under Non-Proportional Loading — Consideration
for Spring Strength Evaluation,” by Dr. Takamoto Itoh, professor at Ritsumeikan University. 8. “The Influence of Residual Stress Distribution for the Rotating Bending Fatigue Property of the Carburized Steel Treated by Peening,” by Toshiya Tsuji of Shintoukogio, Ltd. 9. “Evaluation of Shot Peened Compression Coil Spring by Eddy Current Method,” by Ryudo Ohyabu of Togo Seisakusyo Corporation. Five technical posters were displayed also over network prior to the meeting. Answer sessions were held by a representative of each poster based on questions collected via network. The top two posters were selected based on the participants’ voting. The first place poster was “Improvement of Mechanical Properties for Functionally-Graded TiNi Shape Memory Alloy by Ultrasonic Shot Peening,” by Takashi Miyamoto of Aichi Institute of Technology, et al.
The second place poster was “Evaluation of Titanium Corrugate Cups with High Adhesion by Constraint,” by Haruki Izumi of University of Hyogo, et al. A technology exchange meeting was held via online via Zoom with 30 participants. The meeting was held after the closing speech delivered by Dr. Masao Hayakawa, JSSE president and chairman of the Researcher of National Institute for Materials Science. Dr. Yoshiyuki Furuya, vice chairperson of JSSE and chairman of the Researcher of National Institute for Materials Science made an opening speech. This was followed by the guest speech by Masahiko Nakatani, executive director of the Japan Spring Manufacturers Association (JSMA.) After plenty of mingling and exchanging of information, the meeting closed with a speech by Shuzo Ichi, director of JSSE and managing director of Togo Seisakusyo Corporation.
Lesjöfors AB, the €300m global spring manufacturing company with more than 50 manufacturing and technical sales sites across the world, has launched a new company, rebranding two of its UK factories in Cornwall to Lesjöfors Heavy Springs, UK, formerly called European Springs & Pressings.
Michael Gibbs, managing director of the newly formed Lesjöfors company, stated: “This is a really exciting new chapter for the Cornwall factories. Our new company and new name reflect a unified team under the Lesjöfors AB brand and the world-leading springs we manufacture for customers across the automotive, rail, agriculture, oil, mining, construction and energy sectors in the UK. “We have achieved a record-breaking order book over the last year; sales are up 35 percent, we’ve grown our team by 40 percent and our annual turnover is our best yet at £15m. This year we’re investing £1 million in new machinery and every element of our performance has been driven by an ambitious and progressive team, propelled with investment support by Lesjöfors AB.”
The rebrand is part of a new division, focusing on growth and significant investment in the heavy springs sector across the synergized specializations, product range and industries served within the Lesjöfors AB heavy coiling sites in the U.K., Finland and Sweden. Ola Tengroth, CEO of Lesjöfors AB, said, “As part of our global long-term future-focused growth strategy, the heavy springs sector has been identified as one of four key expansion areas and the Cornwall sites’ evolution to a new Lesjöfors brand is a natural fit for the company’s future.” Lesjöfors AB is rapidly expanding its portfolio with a mergers and acquisitions program that has seen the company acquire nine sites from the U.S. and Europe in the last few months, with further announcements planned for the year ahead. European Springs & Pressings will continue its manufacturing operations in Kent.
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Global Highlights
Obituaries SMI mourns the loss of Maurice Lionel Berelowitz, 72, who died Jan. 4, 2022, at his home with family at his side. He was a native of Johannesburg, South Africa, born Sept. 9, 1949 to the late Alexander Hyman and Caroline Percik Berelowitz. Berelowitz was a true entrepreneur, starting MP Springworks at the age of 24 in Johannesburg. He moved with his family to Canada in 1981, where he was president of Springco Industries until 2001 in Toronto, Canada and Louisville, Kentucky; chief operating officer of HS Spring in Toronto and Louisville (2002– 2004), founder of Flexsigns (2001–2010), MicroliftUSA (2007–2022), Constant Force Displays (2015–2022) and cofounder of ConstantForceUSA (2009– 2022). He was also a board member of the Louisville Nature Center (2007–2011) and a member of The Temple in Louisville, Kentucky. Berelowitz was a mentor, advisor, facilitator, and advocate for so many over his lifetime, providing guidance and sharing his wisdom in a few words with profound impact. His final message to colleagues, friends, and family: “In the end, think of me when you have a fabulous meal, see something beautiful in nature, or are fishing or kayaking in the ocean. Most importantly, be good to someone who needs help, as these were the things that were important to me as a person throughout my life.” He is survived by his loving wife, Margaret Handl Berelowitz; his daughters, Michelle Berelowitz of Oakville, Ontario, Canada and Andrea Berdusco of Sydney, Australia; his sister, Paule Sachs, nephew Carl Sachs, niece Natalie Fernandes all of Melbourne, Australia; and three beautiful grandchildren. A memorial service was held in January 2022. In memory of Berelowitz, expressions of sympathy may be made to The Temple, 5101 US Hwy 42, Louisville, KY 40241, or the J. Graham Brown Cancer Center at www.uoflbrowncancercenter.org/ways-support.
SMI mourns the loss of Richard Papeika, 71, of Woodbridge, Conn., who died peacefully on February 11, 2022 at Smilow Cancer Hospital after a long, brave battle with pancreatic cancer. Papeika was born in New Haven on February 8, 1951 to the late Albin and Mary (DeLucia) Papeika. He is survived by his loving wife of 50 years, Karen, his son Gregory and daughter-in-law Brenda of Milford, sister Debbie Papeika of Wallingford, brothers Michael and his wife Bonnie of Hamden and Jimmy and his wife Jill of Bethlehem, Penn., and his devoted best friend in the world Joe Cuticelli and his wife Leslie of Madison, as well as many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. Papeika grew up in Fair Haven and later Hamden, graduating Hamden High School in the class of 1969. He was a man dedicated to his work, having spent nearly 50 years in the metals industry, first at Detroit Steel in Hamden for nearly 14 years and then Ulbrich Stainless Steel & Special Metals of North Haven for 35 years until his retirement as a senior vice president in 2019. As several people have said, Papeika had more fun during his working years than most guys have in retirement. He traveled the nation and the world for his work, and always found enjoyment in whatever exotic locale in which he found himself. In his spare time, he could often be found cooking up some classic or novel recipe in his kitchen, enjoying a cigar on the golf course with his son and his friends, or warming a barstool at Eli’s in Hamden or the Elks Lodge in Branford with a vodka in his hand (on the rocks with a twist of lemon). He was a lifelong fan of the Yankees, Rangers, and Giants (often shouting vociferously at the TV when the game wasn’t going his team’s way) and was known to have some success in picking horse races. His favorite day of the year was the annual Manhattan Pub Crawl, taking place the Tuesday
before Thanksgiving every year since 2003, always kicking off at P.J. Clarke’s on 55th and 3rd – hence to be renamed the Rich Papeika Memorial Pub Crawl. Though his immediate family was small, Papeika was a doting family man. To his wife, Karen, he was a provider and a rock, and though they could be a pain-in-the-you-know-what to each other, he never failed to give her anything she needed or wanted. To his son, Greg, he was not only a dad but much like a big brother as well. Greg and Rich were golfing partners, drinking buddies, and travel companions. Papeika gave his son the world, having put him through years of school and allowed him to have a life that Rich could never have. Papeika dearly loved his daughter-in-law Brenda, his eyes lighting up whenever she was around. To his friend Joe, he was the best friend a guy could ever have, and never have again. Papeika was a true gentleman, and though he was often quiet, he had a warm way about him that left people charmed and comforted. He was larger than life in a very subtle way and had a quick wit that made everyone laugh. He was generous to all and never hesitated to help those in need, and always made certain that he was the one to pick up the check after dinner. He will be deeply missed by his family and friends, including all the people he worked with at Ulbrich throughout the years, as well as bartenders around the country and the world. Per his request, Papeika’s family and friends will gather for a “celebration of life” send-off party with plenty of great food and drinks on him sometime this spring. His family would like to thank the doctors, nurses, and staff of Smilow Cancer Hospital for their compassionate care throughout the last year. They provided him comfort and care that was unmatched in his last days. For those so inclined, donations may be made in Papeika’s memory to the Lustgarten Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research, the American Cancer Society, or the charity of one’s choice. n
SPRINGS | Spring 2022 | 13
©iStockphoto.com/Scott Hirko
Regional Spring Association Report
CASMI Report By Michael Bandy, CASMI, Co-Executive Director
CASMI’s 2022 Scholarship Program Is Open The Chicago Association of Spring Manufacturers (CASMI) is proud to announce the 2022 CASMI College Scholarship Program to benefit employees and children of the employees of CASMI primary (spring manufacturer) and associate (supplier) member companies. In 2022, CASMI plans to award a total of 15 $1,500 undergraduate scholarships and one $2,500 scholarship for postgraduate study (primary members only). Since the program’s inception, CASMI has provided $881,000 in scholarships to undergraduate and graduate students. CASMI is grateful to the many industry suppliers and spring manufacturers who, through their participation in
SpringWorld and other CASMI activities, help make it possible for recipients to obtain the education that is so necessary to personal success. In particular, CASMI would like to thank: • Rosemont Exposition Services (RES) for sponsoring the Terry & Jerry Reese postgraduate scholarship in the amount of $2,500. • The Joseph H. Goldberg Family Foundation and International Spring Co., which is providing $4,500 in undergraduate scholarship funding in 2022. • The Louis & Barbara Kahn Charitable Foundation, which is providing $1,500 in undergraduate scholarship funding in 2022.
CASMI’s June 2022 Golf Tournament CASMI will host its Annual Golf Tournament at Bridges of Poplar Creek Country Club, Hoffman Estates, Illinois, June 16, 2022. The day’s activities include lunch, shotgun start golf tournament, cocktail hour and dinner. Various prizes will be presented throughout the evening.
14 | SPRINGS | Spring 2022
All CASMI members, SpringWorld 2022 exhibitors, and suppliers who are interested in exhibiting at SpringWorld are encouraged to attend this great industry event. Start putting together your foursomes today to join the competition and for a relaxed networking atmosphere with your industry colleagues.
SpringWorld 2022 Takes Place in October SpringWorld 2022 will take place Oct. 12–14, 2022, at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, Illinois. With more than 85 percent of available space sold on the trade show floor, companies that are interested in exhibiting at SpringWorld 2022 should contact CASMI to secure their participation. Call 630-359.4273, or email info@ casmi-springworld.org. SpringWorld, which is presented by CASMI every other year, provides a unique opportunity for spring manufacturers, wireformers, OEMs, and their suppliers to network, including one-onone discussions with colleagues to share challenges, discuss solutions, and provide new insights for business. Details for all CASMI activities are available at www.casmi-springworld.org.
Regional Spring Association Report
NESMA Report By Lucas Karabin, Acme Monaco, NESMA President As NESMA members wrapped up a busy 2021 and are now well into 2022, we have a high level of optimism for a year structured for success. We closed out 2021 with a successful holiday party in good health, avoiding pitfalls of the most recent Omicron wave, live and unmasked in person. Looking back, we were fortunate in that our event was held early in the month of December, as the region was broadsided shortly thereafter. Our holiday event allowed us time to look back on the marvelous success of so many we honored in business and life as we capped off the year. Our banquet dinner event at the DoubleTree in Bristol, Connecticut drew roughly 80 participants, followed by an award ceremony the following morning. At our award ceremony, outgoing president Brian Fries of Atlantic Precision Spring provided opening remarks, followed by Allen Nadeau of Southington Tool & Manufacturing, who updated us on the Connecticut Manufacturers Collaborative (CMC). The CMC is a complex organization comprised of eight members and various subgroups who provide feedback on the state of Connecticut’s manufacturing initiatives. This group is aided by lobbyists who relay the group’s thoughts in conjunction with state and local government. Our award ceremony was largely lighthearted, business aside, providing various recognition to current members.
Doug Johnson of Marion Manufacturing and Bill Waseleski of Century Spring were awarded continuous operations recognition, Marion for 75 years in business and Century for 45 years. These are both family businesses, and the determination of both organizations provided inspiration for their ability to adopt and grow as the business environment has since their inception. We provided our outgoing board member recognition to Brian Fries, Atlantic Precision; Bob Swanson, United Wire Company; Jim Mintun, Gibbs Wire and Steel; and David Waseleski, Century Spring. A special recognition award was presented the evening prior to Bernice Prusaczyk of Industrial Steel Wire by her colleague Lisa Knepshield, with much love and admiration for her decorated career of industry service. NESMA is very thankful to our incoming board members for heading the call to aid their industry. This includes John Higginbotham, director of operations at Rowley Spring; Damon Esposito, division manager of Associated Spring; and Bruce Massey, vice president of Interwire Products. Our current board consists of Laura Currier, NESMA vice president and manufacturing operations manager at Paragon Medical; Tom Barnes, owner of Riverside Investments; Ryan Cutter, events chairperson and president of Fenn, LLC; David
Pictured (l-to-r): Ryan Cutter, Beverly Hulten, and Bob Swanson.
Pictured (l-to-r): Al Mangels Jim Callaghan, Don and Debbie Lyons.
NESMA Holiday Party sponsors.
DeVoe, membership chair and president of Plymouth Spring; Ted Lucas, finance chairperson and CPA at Marcum LLP; Al Mangels, technical committee chairperson, past president and corporate liaison of Lee Spring; Charlie Radcliff, owner of Radcliff Wire; Andrea Tarantino, marketing chairperson and owner of Napcon Communications; Jake Youmans, chairperson of our Vanguard committee and assistant program manager at Connecticut Spring and Stamping; Allen Nadeau representative for CMC and principal of Southington Tool & Mfg. Corp., Dee
SPRINGS | Spring 2022 | 15
Regional Spring Association Report
Babkirk, secretary, Central Connecticut Chamber of Commerce; Lynne Carr, SMI liaison; Cindy Bombard, Chamber liaison; and Lucas Karabin, president of NESMA. As we entered 2022, we hoped to start another spring coiler set-up class with the assistance of Naugatuck Valley Community College. Unfortunately, low enrollment forced us to cancel the class. We are already planning on a class in the fall as we continue to work with the community college system on plans for a new manufacturing center. We are in the midst of course development and equipment acquisition for this new center, which could offer a variety of amenities to the learning process in an industry not accustomed to collegiate support for industrial technicians of various functions. This new manufacturing center is anticipated to be operational by the fall semester. We see a high degree of manufacturing renaissance at the high school level and anticipate a readily available student body, informed for the manufacturers of tomorrow. We were scheduled to host an Expo and Casino Night in March. More about this event in my next report. The New England Spring and Metalstamping Association appreciates your support! n
Outgoing NESMA president Brian Fries of Atlantic Precision Spring is pictured with Bernice Prusaczyk of Industrial Steel and Wire (right) who received a special recognition award from her colleague, Lisa Knepshield.
Pictured (l-to-r): Lucas Karabin and Steve Kempf.
16 | SPRINGS | Spring 2022
Pictured front row (l-to-r): Jamie Jones, Charlie Radcliff, and Jeff Lawrence. Back row (l-to-r): Tim Steeber, Bryan Hitchcock, Todd Kane, Bob Swanson and Michael Sarni.
Be Aware Safety Tips
Meeting OSHA Mandates By Laura Helmrich-Rhodes, CSP, Ed.D.
a prediction in the Winter 2022 issue of Springs. I want Iandmade to expand upon it to help readers meet Occupational Safety Health Administration (OSHA) mandates. This prediction
is based on listening to the language I am hearing in OSHA speeches, political rhetoric, a posted agenda, testimonies and even new online “helpful” documents on the OSHA.gov website. The term “infectious disease” is being used interchangeably with “COVID-19.” It is my professional opinion, regardless of what happens with the COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standards (ETS), that OSHA can easily rely on regulations that are already “on the books.” As of this writing (Friday, Jan. 28, 2022), OSHA’s coronavirus-related inspections with violations initial penalties totaled $4,034,288. They have also included “infectious disease” on the Unified Agenda (the plans for new standards), Let’s look at what regulations employers are already obligated to follow, especially the ones that OSHA has consistently used so far. Hopefully, this discussion will help readers assess their own levels of compliance with existing standards. A quick peek at the inspection data for COVID-19 violations shows that most are occurring in health care and health-related employers; however, digging into the data shows other general industry employers. The standards are somewhat predictable for those of us in the compliance business. Respiratory protection, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), recordkeeping and hazard communication are noted as frequent citations. In addition to those listed above, there are standards requiring training of employees on any workplace hazard. This dates back to early OSHA, along with more recent updates via individual topic standard. An excellent example is the PPE standard, which addresses what must be included in the training, plus work task risk assessment. Furthermore, the respiratory protection standard requires assessment, training and providing of PPE free of charge (with minor exceptions). Each of those are subjects easily connected to any infectious disease in the workplace.
Laura Helmrich-Rhodes, CSP, Ed.D., is an independent regulations compliance consultant to the Spring Manufacturers Institute (SMI). A former member of PA/OSHA Consultation, she is an associate professor in the Safety Sciences Department at Indiana University of Pennsylvania where she teaches graduate and undergraduate classes on topics such as OSHA standards, safety communications, workers’ compensation and human relations. Rhodes is available for safety advice and information. Contact SMI at 630-495-8588 or laurahrhodes@gmail.com.
According to OSHA, the following should be addressed in employee training sessions during the COVID-19 pandemic. (A side note, employers must train workers in a language and literacy level they understand.) • The basics of how SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, spreads and the importance of physical distancing (including remote work), ventilation, vaccination, use of face coverings, and hand hygiene. • Workplace policies and procedures implemented to protect workers from COVID-19 hazards. • What employees should do if they are sick, including staying home and reporting any signs/symptoms of COVID-19 to their supervisor. • Workers’ rights to a safe and healthful work environment, whom to contact with questions or concerns about workplace safety and health, and workers’ rights to raise workplace safety and health concerns free from retaliation. Those obvious OSHA standards make sense, but stick with me, because my prediction is that there are still several other regulations that can be used in manufacturing as the compliance officers make their way into broader inspections in general industry. Each of these are already regulations that employers should have in place. It would be beneficial to keep reading to make certain these programs are up-to-date, regardless of the connection to COVID-19. The Bloodborne Pathogens Standard 29 CFR 1910.1030 was promulgated in 1991. This was brought about during a time of heightened awareness of employees being exposed to HIV/ AIDS and/or Hepatitis B in both health care as well as other industries, where a fellow employee is rendering first aid to an injured/infected co-worker. Only employers who had a potential for such exposures have to implement a formal program and provide employee training. The reality is that every employer reading this is likely required to have a formal program due to potential exposures. The Bloodborne Pathogens standard took five years to promulgate. Congress even attached an “appropriations rider” to the Fiscal Year (FY) 1992 OSHA funding bill which required the agency to finalize the Bloodborne Pathogens standard by Dec. 1, 1991. Typically, it is rare for Congress to get involved in most OSHA regulations since there is a defined process for standards adoption. However, during the OSHA budget debate, members of Congress indicated that the risks to workers were significant and that the possibility of illness and death could no longer be ignored; it therefore used the appropriations rider to encourage the agency to expedite the promulgation of the standard (OSHA Letter of Interpretation 11/20/1992). That sure sounds similar to some of the speeches we have heard in the last two years, and budget talks are on the horizon.
SPRINGS | Spring 2022 | 17
Bloodborne Pathogens training is included in the SMI annual OSHA training package for spring industry clients. Why? Personal injury involving exposure to a co-worker’s blood is a definite possibility. Perhaps no one has ever sustained a serious injury in your facility, but there is still a possibility of a worker becoming injured, ill or even sustaining a needle stick due to illicit drug use or the improper disposal of a co-worker’s medically-needed sharps. These scenarios make it important for employers to address this exposure. OSHA also issued guidance on seasonal flu on their “Safety and Health Topics” page: “The best way to reduce your risk of exposure to the flu virus in your workplace is to use the basic hygiene precautions listed below and to avoid close contact with ill people.” This webpage specifically identifies an “Employers Pandemic Flu Plan” in the discussion. Specifically, it says: “Your employer’s pandemic flu plan should be based on a ‘worst-case’ scenario — one in which the virus causes severe illness and death in larger numbers of people.” Although it seems to call for a formal written program, it later says the webpage is “informational in nature.” Furthermore, it refers the reader to the OSHA General Duty Clause of the OSHA Act (the law versus regulations) which requires “employers to provide their employees with a workplace free from recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm.” (It’s the “recognized
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hazard” that leads to potential citation, since everyone knows about infectious disease now). If we want to stretch further to make connections to infectious disease prevention in the workplace, Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) also falls under the auspices of OSHA. Every employer should be in contact with a Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH) should IAQ complaints arise and if OSHA arrives to conduct air samples. In one publication, OSHA makes the connection to the following standards that can be used to cite IAQ concerns. • 29 CFR 1904 Recording and Reporting Occupational Injuries and Illnesses. • 29 CFR 1910.94 Ventilation. • 29 CFR 1910.1000 Air Contaminants. The ongoing requirement to provide a “clean and sanitary workplace” cannot be overlooked and certainly fits when discussing the spread of any infectious disease. Sanitation is addressed in 29 CFR 1910.141 which requires employers to provide all workers with sanitary and immediately available toilet facilities (restrooms). If an employer is working diligently to keep the facilities clean, is that employer up to date regarding the use of hazardous chemicals/disinfectants? Are those who are assigned cleaning duties protected from injury/illness? All hazardous chemicals are likely under the 29 CFR 1910.1200 Hazard Communication Standard (depending on how they are purchased). Workers who clean the workplace must be protected from exposure to hazardous chemicals used in these tasks. Employers must conduct a hazard assessment and, based on the results, provide the appropriate protective equipment for using disinfectants and other chemicals. Employers in this industry must implement a formal hazard communication program that provides up-to-date inventories, safety data sheets, container labels, and training on the hazards of the chemicals in the workplace. (As a side note, this is the most cited standard in all of General
Self Checklist ✔ Bloodborne pathogens program ❑ ✔ Protection of those designated as first aiders ❑
Compression Springs Extension Springs Die Springs Torsion Springs www.DiamondWire.com
✔ Disposal plan for biohazard materials ❑ ✔ PPE assessments ❑ ✔ PPE written program ❑ ✔ Respiratory protection assessments ❑ ✔ Sanitation program ❑
1-800-424-0500
✔ Hazard communication program ❑
MADE IN USA
✔ Safety data sheets — including disinfectants ❑ ✔ OSHA recordkeeping compliance ❑ ✔ Connect with a Certified Industrial Hygienist to ❑ perform IAQ surveys if complaints arise
Industry. It is worth doing a full audit of your overall Haz Com program.) A long career in safety and health has its advantages. Living through several of these standards being promulgated (public comment) and an ability to listen closely to the language that is being used in the COVID-19 regulation discussions is cause for increased alertness as to what is to come from OSHA compliance. Consider an on-site compliance assistance visit this summer, along with fun and interactive employee safety training. Use the helpful lists below to begin your own compliance check in the meantime. Bloodborne Pathogens Required Protections
• Establish an exposure control plan. • Employers must update the plan annually. • Implement the use of universal precautions. • Identify and use engineering controls. • Identify and ensure the use of work practice controls. • Provide personal protective equipment (PPE), such as gloves, gowns, eye protection, and masks. • Make available hepatitis B vaccinations to all workers with occupational exposure. • Make available post-exposure evaluation and follow up to any occupationally exposed worker who experiences an exposure incident. • Use labels and signs to communicate hazards. • Provide information and training to workers. • Maintain worker medical and training records. OSHA Pandemic Flu Plan Guidance (per OSHA website)
Protect Yourself During Flu Season • Get vaccinated. • Stay at home if you are sick. • Wash your hands frequently with soap and water for 20 seconds; use an alcohol-based hand rub if soap and water are not available. • Avoid touching your nose, mouth, and eyes. • Cover your coughs and sneezes with a tissue, or cough and sneeze into your upper sleeve(s). Throw tissues into a “no-touch” wastebasket. • Clean your hands after coughing, sneezing, or blowing your nose. 1. When using soap and water, rub soapy hands together for at least 20 seconds, rinse hands with water, and dry completely. 2. If soap and water are not available, use of an alcohol-based hand rub is a helpful interim measure until hand-washing is possible. When using an alcohol-based hand rub, apply liquid to palm of hand, cover all surfaces of the hands with the liquid, and rub hands together until dry. • Keep frequently touched common surfaces (e.g., telephones, computer equipment, etc.) clean.
• Try not to use a co-worker’s phone, desk, office, computer, or other work tools and equipment. If you must use a co-worker’s equipment, consider cleaning it first with a disinfectant. • Avoid shaking hands or coming in close contact with coworkers and others who may be ill. • Stay in shape. Eat a healthy diet. Get plenty of rest, exercise, and relaxation. • Speak with your doctor and find out if you are in a high risk category for seasonal flu (e.g., elderly, pregnant women, small children, persons with asthma, etc.). • Participate in any training offered by your employer. Make sure that you understand how to stay healthy at work. n
Helpful Links OSHA FAQs: Frequently Asked Questions Regarding COVID-19 https://www.osha.gov/coronavirus/faqs Background on Bloodborne Pathogens Standard — How it happened https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/ standardinterpretations/1992-11-20 Bloodborne Pathogens Fact Sheet (Great to post or use in training) https://www.osha.gov/sites/default/files/publications/ bbfact01.pdf Letter of Interpretation — Bloodborne Pathogens https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/ standardinterpretations/2007-01-16-0 Letter of Interpretation — Non-Health Care Applicability https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/ standardinterpretations/1992-08-28-0 OSHA Enforcement procedures by Executive Order (June 2021) https://www.osha.gov/sites/default/files/enforcement/ directives/DIR_2021-02_CPL_02.pdf Seasonal Flu in the Workplace https://www.osha.gov/seasonal-flu OSHA Guidance on Pandemic Flu (2009) https://www.osha.gov/sites/default/files/publications/ OSHA3327pandemic.pdf CDC Pandemic Flu Plan for Employers (2017) https://www.cdc.gov/nonpharmaceutical-interventions/pdf/gr-pan-flu-work-set.pdf CDC Guidance on Communication During Pandemics including 2009 H1N1 Flu https://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/faithbased/pdf/H1N1_ FBO_toolkit.pdf
SPRINGS | Spring 2022 | 19
Dean of Springs
Using Statistics to Diagnose Problems By Dan Sebastian
pring engineers are confronted with many different issues S each day. Spring design is where it begins, but customers expect the design to function perfectly every time. It is when
the design does not work that we earn our money by diagnosing the problem and implementing a solution. One tool that can be exceptionally useful is statistics, which can point to specific points in time as to the cause. The problem is the spring, but the cause and the solution can be anything from processing to assembly, or special changes in the way the part is used. Let us look at some examples and how my team used statistics to solve the problem.
The Right Supplier
A number of years ago, a major engine manufacturer had two suppliers for valve springs. A consultant was brought in to assist with purchasing and to select the best (not necessarily the cheapest) suppliers. Valve springs were selected because they were among the most dynamically active components and most likely to fail. They analyzed the data for the last 36 months and saw what they believed to be a “smoking gun.” Valve Spring Failure per Month
Extension Spring Hook Failures
Failures
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Regularly reoccurring peak failures
Months
The analysis of the failures indicated an unusual residual stress pattern in the area of the hook failure. The area had been shot peened, but the failure exhibited tensile stresses. We plotted the data over many years and saw that, when the spring was assembled at certain times of the year, it failed with significantly higher rates than at other times of the year. After reviewing the assembly process with the plant, it turned out that the failed springs usually occurred when the regular assembly person was not there. It turned out that it was a very difficult assembly, and inexperienced operators would use a tool that bent back the hook which reversed the compressive stresses from peening. The result was the creation of an infinitely sharp “notch” to start a failure. Drs. Deming and Juran were right: the data talks to you all the time, all you have to do is listen.
Number of Failures
In this case, the customer used an extension spring as a backup in a critical safety device. Due to the backup nature of the design, the failure never caused a problem. But the customer was not happy when they needed to replace broken parts. One of our divisions got the business after the customer had gone through several other spring suppliers. Initially it appeared we solved the problem, but it returned, and the customer wanted us to warranty the parts and replace them. We said we would if they would allow us to review all the data from every supplier. Spring Failures
Total Cost of Failures for: • 36 months is 13% less • 60 months is 54% less
25 20 15 10
Our Springs Alternate Supplier
5 0 Months
The buyer, who was very proud of his work, explained to us that the data was forcing him to de-source us. In an analysis like this where the graphics can appear to be dramatic, you need to do the math. The area under the curve is the actual cost of failure. When we did the math, the decision was very close and not nearly as overwhelming as the buyer thought. With that knowledge, we looked at 60 months of data, which showed we were actually the better supplier by a 2-to-1 margin. The data clearly showed that we had a onetime special cause which corrected with an irresistible fix. It clearly showed the other supplier had a consistent low-level problem that is very hard to find and correct. We still lost the business because the math was too difficult for the buyer to understand. n
Dan Sebastian is a former SMI president and currently serves as a technical consultant to the association. He holds a degree in metallurgical engineering from Lehigh University and his industry career spans more than four decades in various technical and management roles. He may be reached by contacting SMI at 630-495-8588.
SPRINGS | Spring 2022 | 21
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Technically Speaking
A Most Interesting Failure Analysis Project By C. Richard Gordon
veryone likes to hear about a spring failure analysis project E when it turns out not to be the fault of the spring manufacturer or their associate spring wire suppliers. Do I have your attention? Overview
SMI reengaged to provide SMI member companies with a failure analysis service in June 2018. Since the inception of the program, SMI has conducted 24 projects for member and non-member companies. One of our member companies encountered a problem with spring breakage of a legacy part at one of their long-term customers. SMI was contacted to conduct a failure analysis project. SMI Failure Analysis Methodology
The SMI failure analysis methodology may involve the following steps: 1) document review, 2) sample visual examination and analysis, 3) fractography using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) with energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) for chemical analysis of features of interest, 4) metallography, 5) microhardness testing (Vickers or Knoop) to confirm the material hardness/ tensile strength of the spring wire, 6) X-ray diffraction where a determination of the residual stress is required. In the document review step, client companies are requested to provide: 1) a material certification test report, 2) an engineering drawing of the spring, an advanced spring design (ASD7) report (if available), or equivalent and 3) additional documentation such as photographs, videos of the spring testing if the failure occurred during laboratory testing, etc. Sample visual analysis is done using progressively higher magnification instruments to examine the sample for imperfections starting with naked eye observation, iPhone with or without a clip-on magnifier, stereo microscope and digital microscope. Metallography involves the microscopic examination of a spring wire cross-section away from the fracture or through a feature of interest. Testing is done on a sample specially prepared by mounting, grinding, and polishing to a mirrorlike finish. Samples are examined as polished (unetched), looking for features of interest such as laps or seams or unusual artifacts, and
then after etching in a chemical reagent. The etched sample is examined for features of interest, decarburization (in carbon and alloy steels), chemical segregation and pipe. In the SMI failure analysis program, only the testing methods needed to identify a root cause are used. Spring Failure Analysis Project
Problem Statement Springs used in a valve assembly failed after two months in service. Valves are typically replaced annually as per the preventative maintenance program. The objective of the project was to determine the root cause for the failures. Background Information Spring design information is shown below along with operating conditions. Spring Specification Information Wire diameter: 0.030 in. Free length: 0.590 +/-0.010 in. Grade: Inconel X750 Ends: Squared and ground Spring OD: 0.304 +/-0.002 in. Load at 0.480 in. = 0.53 lbs. Active coils: 10.375 Solid height maximum: 0.376 in. Right hand coil
C. Richard (Rick) Gordon is the technical director for SMI. He is available to help SMI members and non-members with metallurgical challenges such as fatigue life, corrosion, material and process-related problems He is also available to help manage and oversee processes related to failure analysis. This includes sourcing reputable testing labs throughout North America, forwarding member requests to the appropriate lab and reporting results and recommendations. He can be reached at c.richard.gordon@gmail.com or 574-514-9367.
SPRINGS | Spring 2022 | 23
Figure 1. Advanced Spring Design Software (ASD7) 3D image of the compression spring for this project.
Figure 1 shows a 3D image of the compression spring developed from the specification information. Application, Operating Environment and Additional Information: The valve is used for compression of natural gas. Inlet temperature was reported as 200°F; outlet temperature was reported as 400°F. Twenty springs are used in one valve assembly. Each spring is encapsulated in a dynamic sealing element called a poppet, with wear-protective Rulon buttons on each end of the spring. The function of the spring assembly is to create a differential pressure during compression that ‘times’ the opening and closing of the poppet. The springs were cycled at 400 RPM from open to close for two months of service. Multiple springs fractured in multiple locations. Initial Examination As described above, samples received showed some springs exhibiting multiple fractures. Following a preliminary examination, a
Figure 2. Photograph of the springs as received at the metallurgical laboratory.
24 | SPRINGS | Spring 2022
portion of fractured springs were forwarded to the metallurgical laboratory for failure analysis. (Figure 2.) Stereomicroscope images of two springs are shown in Figure 3. The photograph on the left shows excessive corrosion, while the one on the right also shows excessive corrosion along with contact wear. The corrosion observed was more than one would expect with an X750 spring material that was properly heat treated. Figure 4 shows two SEM photomicrographs of the fracture surface at different magnifications with the crack initiation point identified at the top location of the spring inside diameter. Figure 5 shows a higher magnification SEM photomicrograph of a corrosion pit identified as the crack initiation site. The corrosion pit extended to a depth of ~23 microns beneath the wire surface. The spring failed in fatigue where a corrosion pit served as the stress concentration point where the initial crack formed. Discussion In an extreme corrosion environment, corrosion pits develop in multiple locations at the same time and serve as the crack initiation sites. Multiple cracks begin to propagate under repeated load applications. When one of the cracks reaches a critical size, the spring proceeds to final failure by ductile overload. Successive spring failures occur as the higher load is distributed to the remaining springs, which ultimately led to the valve failure. Component alignment can become compromised under the conditions where multiple springs fail, which can lead to the contact wear that was observed in some springs.
r tion Initia
Figure 3. Stereomicroscope images of two spring surfaces showing excessive corrosion (left) and excessive corrosion along with contact wear (right).
n egio
Initiation
Figure 4. SEM photomicrographs of a spring fracture surface showing the crack initiation region at 110X (left) and 300X (right) magnification. Figure 5. Higher magnification (2000X) SEM photomicrograph of the area observed in Figure 4 showing the corrosion pit crack initiation site and depth beneath the wire surface.
EDS Chemical Composition Analysis
Chemical composition analysis of the spring base material was done using energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) in the SEM. Table 1 shows chemical composition data for the fractured spring, along with results for an unused spring taken from inventory at the spring manufacturer, the certification test report chemical composition results and the grade X750 specification requirements. The chemical analysis of the failed spring showed that it was produced using an iron (Fe)-based alloy, not X750 which is nickel based. The chemical composition of the spring from inventory was in alignment with the certification test report and specification requirement for grade X750. And Now, For the Rest of the Story
Results were reported to the spring manufacturer. Internal problem solving found that the failed spring’s suspect grade, 17-7 stainless steel and diameter 0.030 in., was not used at their location. The report was forwarded to the spring manufacturer’s customer for review. It was subsequently learned that the end user had actually purchased the 17-7 springs elsewhere in an attempt to reduce the cost of the valve.
The Bottom Line
Faith in the SMI member company was restored with their customer, and the cost of the failure analysis project was reimbursed by the end user. n If you need help with a spring failure analysis project, SMI is here to help. Contact Rick Gordon at c.richard.gordon@gmail.com or call 574-514-9367. SMI has a team of experts, who speak the language of springs, ready to assist you. It could be a metallurgy question about fatigue life or corrosion. Or perhaps you need help with a spring design and the use of materials when manufacturing springs. To find out how SMI Technical Services can help you, phone 630-495-8588 or visit www.smihq.org/springsadvice.
Elements
X750 Specifications
Material Certification
Failed Spring
Unused Spring from Inventory
Carbon (C)
0.08 max
0.04
A
A
Aluminum (Al)
0.4 -1.0
0.73
1.15
0.68
Silicon (Si)
0.50 max
0.22
0.29
0.19
Titanium (Ti)
2.25-2.75
2.63
0.01
2.67
Chromium (Cr)
14.0-17.0
15.53
17.01
15.75
Manganese (Mn)
1.0 max
0.20
0.91
0.11
Nickel (Ni)
70.0 min
70.80
7.62
70.43
Copper (Cu)
0.5 max
0.35
0.18
0.48
Columbium (Cb)/Niobium (Nb)
0.70-1.20
0.85
—
1.11
Iron (Fe)
5.0-9.0
8.46
72.73
8.54
A EDS
cannot accurately quantify carbon
Table 1. Chemical Composition Data (wt%)
SPRINGS | Spring 2022 | 25
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Two years ago, COVID-19 was a new challenge that springmakers and the rest of the world faced for the first time. As a result, the global pandemic exposed problems in the supply chain that ultimately led to unprecedented shortages.
28 | SPRINGS | Spring 2022
Unpredictable Supply Chain One of the greatest and continuing challenges for springmakers has been finding wire to manufacture products for their customers. SMI began an informal forum to help those looking for wire and those selling their extra stock. SMI’s Dina Sanchez has helped coordinate this effort and said there were a couple of requests in 2019 for assistance with this, “but we really didn’t start offering daily emails to members, as a benefit of their membership, until quarantine, April/May 2020.” “Eventually we had so many requests (both people looking for material and people selling their extra stock) that I started to send one ‘selling email’ and one ‘searching for email’ per day,” explained Sanchez. To provide some historical perspective on wire prices, SMI’s technical director C. Richard Gordon has provided several charts. Figure 1 shows the dramatic increase in price for the music spring wire grade during 2021 for warehouse quantities of wire in the 0.120 to 0.135 in. diameter range. The cost base of 1.00 was set for the material cost effective Jan. 5, 2021. Table SM-8 from the Encyclopedia of Spring Design was recently updated in the ASD7 software and shows data for both large quantities (mill quantities) and small quantities (100 lb. coils — warehouse lots) of various spring wire grades. Cold-drawn steel spring wire (ASTM A227) is used to establish a cost base with an assigned value of 1.0 for both large and small quantities. It should
be noted that the small quantity price for this material comes with an approximate 30 percent premium. For all materials, processing to small diameters adds significantly to basic alloy cost. Production of high-quality surfaces may carry a cost premium. As the base alloy value increases, these factors, though still important, represent a smaller fraction of the total raw material cost. When the amount of material required is large, choice of material is very important, for it will usually be the major element in the spring cost. If the amount of material is small and particularly if quick delivery is important, immediate availability rather than cost often dictates the material choice.
Logistic Challenges
There is no doubt that logistics has played a role in the supply chain challenge. Alicia M. Atwater of A.I. Technology, Inc. in Wixom, Michigan, makers of springmaking, grinding machinery and testing equipment and an SMI associate member, said port delays have played a significant role with vessels delayed from berthing and sitting for several days anchored outside port due to congestion. Ports are unloading containers into closed areas temporarily before moving them to open areas in an effort to help with the congestion and rail cart shortages. Other equipment manufacturers have reported similar challenges of getting machinery from the port to their customers, and usually at a higher freight cost.
Figure 1: Relative Price Increase (Decrease) of Music Spring Wire per ASTM A228 Size Range 0.120 to 0.135 in. Diameter • 100 to 2,000 lbs Quantities January–October 2021 January 5, 2021 Reference Price 1.60
Relative Price
1.40
1.14
1.20
1.02 1.04
1.16 1.12
1.26
1.20
0.80
1.00
0.60
1.24 1.47
1.00 1.09
1.19
1.24 1.24
1.24
5/5/21
6/5/21
1.24
1.36
1.37
1.36
1.08
.86
0.40 1/5/21
2/5/21
3/5/21
4/5/21
6/5/21
8/5/21
9/5/21
10/5/21
SPRINGS | Spring 2022 | 29
Table SM-8: Ranking of Relative Costs of Common Spring Wires — 2022 2021–2022 Relative Cost of 2 mm (0.079”) Diameter Wire
Specification
Mill Quantities
Warehouse Lots (per 100 lbs.)
Cold Drawn Spring Wire
ASTM A227
1.0
1.0
Oil tempered Spring Wire
ASTM A229
1.4
1.3
1.1
1.1
1.2
1.1
Music Type 1 Music Type 2
ASTM A228
Chrome Silicon
ASTM A401
1.6
1.4
Chrome Silicon Valve
ASTM A877
3.3
2.7
Stainless Steel (Type 302)
ASTM A313 (302)
3.1
2.7
Stainless Steel (Type 631) (17-7 PH)
ASTM A313 (631)
5.8
4.6
Phosphor Bronze
ASTM B159
8.9
11.2
Beryllium Copper
ASTM B197
51.2
43.2
Inconel 600
QQ-W-390C
22.3
17.7
AMS5699
25.7
20.4
Inconel Alloy X-750
Phosphor Bronze & Beryllium Copper data was provided by Little Falls Alloys, Inc.
Advice to Meet the Challenge
This issue of Springs looks at the challenge and provides some ideas for springmakers to help navigate their way through what some might call a “minefield.” As Phillip Perry explains in his article, “The Supply Chain Challenge” on page 32, the increasing demands of a rebounding economy are stressing supply chains already disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Dealing effectively with the resulting delivery delays requires better coordination with suppliers, locating of back up sources, bolstering of inventories and boosting automation. Springmakers must evaluate the risks attendant with an uncertain recovery path while dealing effectively with increases in the costs of raw materials, labor and inventory. In January the National Association of Manufacturers hosted a webinar on “How Manufacturers Can Navigate Supply Chain Challenges.” I was able to participate in the webinar, and on page 36 you’ll find a helpful summary of ideas on how best to get around these challenges. In the February issue of the Illinois Manufacturing Excellence Center (IMEC) e-newsletter, IMEC president David Boulay addressed the challenge.
“Supply chains are the hot topic in manufacturing. We are facing incredible challenges to translate external influences into what is happening on the shop floor. While stressful and requiring immediate solutions, this is also a wake-up call to plan and prepare so our supply chains are a strength. How can we afford not to, given that approximately 60 percent of costs are in our supply chains?” Boulay reported that in the short term, manufacturers are carrying more safety stock and pursuing greater information and visibility. He says IMEC is working with manufacturers to diversify their supply base and find additional suppliers. “There will be future shocks, whether due to demand changes, weather, port congestion, or more COVID-19 waves, among other variables.” Boulay says manufacturers should consider these preparations: 1. Elevate business continuity planning and risk management. Consider scenarios and how you will respond. 2. Treat suppliers like customers and deepen your trust relationships. 3. Improve productivity, the foundation to compete globally, through upskilling and automation. n For more about IMEC, visit www.imec.org.
30 | SPRINGS | Spring 2022
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32 | SPRINGS | Spring 2022
THE SUPPLY CHAIN
CHALLENGE
Springmakers Bolster Inventories, Woo Suppliers to Keep Customers Happy By Phillip M. Perry
S
pringmakers are grappling with recurring supply chain issues in the wake of a rebounding American economy. Faced with robust consumer and commercial demand, companies are beefing up costly inventories and wooing second level suppliers to help close the gaps when shortages arise. Product shortages and delays — and associated price hikes — have been no strangers to the industry in recent years, thanks to international tariffs. The bottlenecked ports and shuttered production facilities of the COVID-19 pandemic, however, have transformed an exercise in efficient materials distribution into a full-scale crisis. “I’ve been here 35 years, and I’ve never seen anything like this on the supply side,” says WilliamTorres, president of Gibbs Interwire. “It’s just so difficult to get material. It’s difficult to get it domestically, it’s difficult to get it from overseas. And that just makes it so tough on us and our customers, because in many cases you don’t know when you’re going to get your supplies.” Torres notes that the problem began with the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic. The economic rebound that followed in the United States, while a welcome development, only increased delivery pressures at
“
a time when many companies were starting to get things under control. “Many companies are telling me the problem seems to be getting worse as pent-up demand creates additional pressures,” says Bill Conerly, principal of his own consulting firm in Lake Oswego, Oregon.The steep production cuts that many companies made in early 2020 — instituted to obviate excess inventories — has only made more difficult the establishment of reliable delivery patterns. The supply chain breakdown is creating downstream operational problems. “It’s caused a lot of disruption and has kept us from having the material we need for our customer base,” says Torres. “We’re a distributor, a service center, and our role is to have material for others.” Gibbs’ customers, of course, are also having trouble servicing their own customers. The kinks in the delivery patterns are only exacerbated by their unpredictability. “It gets better in spots,” saysTorres. “A mill may have a COVID-19 outbreak or disruption, and they’re in a really bad place. But then they’ll get back online, and things will get better. But then they still have to deal with an order backlog. And when material finally becomes available, everyone starts scrambling to get it. As you can imagine, there are many inefficiencies in that process.”
”
I’ve been here 35 years, and I’ve never seen anything like this on the supply side. William Torres, president of Gibbs Interwire
SPRINGS | Spring 2022 | 33
Broad Effects
The springs industry is not alone in its supply chain struggles. “For a number of years our member companies have been dealing with disruptions caused by factors such as tariffs and higher energy costs,” says Tom Palisin, executive director of The Manufacturers’ Association, a York, Pennsylvaniabased regional employers’ group with more than 370 member companies. With its diverse membership in food processing, defense, fabrication and machinery building, Palisin’s association can be viewed as a proxy for American industry. “The COVID-19 pandemic has given the supply chain a whole new level of priority. Companies in just about all sectors have experienced pauses and shutdowns. Some have even gone out of business.” Labor shortages are one of the most persistent causes of distribution slowdowns. “One banker told me that his four manufacturing customers could each hire 50 additional workers if enough applicants were to show up,” says Conerly. “When a company I work with in Portland was awaiting a shipment of brass from Los Angeles, it turned out there was no driver for the truck.” The reasons for labor shortages are varied. “Part of the problem is that people are not yet willing to come back to work,” says Conerly. “But the fact is that there were not as many pandemic-related layoffs in manufacturing as in, say, food service. A larger issue is demographics: Older people are retiring, and younger people don’t want to go into dirty, noisy factories. And then you have government cash payments for people who get laid off. And finally, there are child care issues.”
New Strategies
The labor shortage has caused an increase in automation as a way to produce goods with fewer man hours. “In recent months there’s been a surge of business orders for capital equipment,” says Conerly. “The fact that manufacturing production has not reached all-time highs, though, indicates that the new equipment is not intended to boost capacity. So, I think a lot of the business capital spending is intended to replace empty positions with machines. The idea is ‘If I can’t hire somebody to assemble this product, maybe I can hire a robot to do it,’ and I think that’s a good strategy.” A decline in the cost of automation has helped fuel this trend. “The cost of labor has gone up while the cost of electronic equipment has gone down,” says Conerly. “Something that did not pencil out a few years ago may well do so today.” Automation alone will not solve the supply chain problem. Companies are taking additional measures such as doing more with less, running machinery beyond its prime and collaborating with vendors to predict shipping delays. Perhaps the most common step, though, is to keep more stock on hand.That’s the case at Gibbs. “We have tried to mitigate the problem by having more supply in the pipeline and sitting on more inventory,” saysTorres. “We are recognizing that one way we can avoid a problem like this in the future is to have more inventory available. Our customers are telling us they’re doing the same thing. But even that is not a sure solution, because it is still very hard to get material.” Market observers see other companies following suit. “Companies should no longer rely on just-in-time
The pandemic has really highlighted the need to develop strategies to mitigate potential disruptions in the flow of critical components. That means doing a deep dive into the supply chain, mapping the geographical locations of the first tier of suppliers and learning about the reliance of second tier as well.
“
34 | SPRINGS | Spring 2022
Tom Palisin, executive director of The Manufacturers’ Association
”
inventory strategies, which too often have become just-too-late failures and stockpile more supplies both in the United States and abroad,” says John Manzella, a consultant on global business and economic trends, East Amherst, NewYork. “This approach reduces efficiencies but favors risk reduction.” Companies are also tracking down backup vendors even for lower volume items. “We are looking around the world and qualifying additional suppliers for the products we need,” says Torres. “We certainly want to work with our long-term suppliers because we view them as our partners. But in a market like this, our customer base expects us to present them with every opportunity, every alternative we can find.” All such moves strike a familiar chord with Palisin at The Manufacturers’ Association. “The pandemic has really highlighted the need to develop strategies to mitigate potential disruptions in the flow of critical components,” says Palisin. “That means doing a deep dive into the supply chain, mapping the geographical locations of the first tier of suppliers and learning about the reliance of second tier as well.” While businesses must pay the price for bolstering inventory levels, such costs must be balanced against operational expenses, such as the need to pay higher prices for goods when a company scrambles to fill customer orders — or lost revenues when an unhappy customer jumps ship for a competitor. As they balance such costs, many companies are viewing higher cashflow on the shelf as acceptable. “Risk mitigation has become more important than efficiency gains,” says Manzella. Furthermore, three historic costs of inventories — interest, obsolescence and shrinkage — no longer universally apply. “The interest rate you get for having cash in the bank now is approximately diddly squat,” says Conerly. And obsolescence, he adds, would only be an issue if something were expected to go out of fashion. “Many products in short supply today are the same products as last year’s model and they are not going to go obsolete.” Shrinkage, he adds, is not an issue in some industries, and in others can be controlled with requisite security steps. Cheap or not, inventory storage must be allocated selectively. “Companies need to be thinking, ‘what might be in short supply when we try to ramp up our production?’” says Conerly. “They may well buy a year’s supply of a relatively cheap item that is a small part of what a company uses but is vital to producing a finished product.”
Despite the inventory mind shift, business owners feel that a return to the days of warehouses bulging with expensive inventory is not in the cards. “Everybody has become accustomed to reducing costs by minimizing touch points, moving goods from the ship straight to the distribution facility and on to the customer,” says one operator. Indeed, cooperative efforts with suppliers and customers may well help bring back a greater emphasis on JIT.
The Road Ahead
Businesses face a conundrum as the world emerges from the pandemic: How quickly will demand increase for products and services, and will the increase be steady or erratic? The wrong answers can result in a pileup of inventory or lost revenues and customers. “The risk is especially great for consumer and business goods requiring long lead times, where businesses can’t easily turn the supply chain spigot on and off,” says Jim Hannan, practice leader of manufacturing, distribution and logistics service group at consulting firm Withum. The solution, says Hannan, is to develop a playbook to address possible disruptions and evaluate risks up and down the supply chain, then develop a plan to address those risks. And management must grapple with other unknowns, such as whether the recent surge in the price of manufactured goods can be passed along to the consumer. All this may soften profits until everything shakes out. “Revenues will probably hold up or even increase because of higher demand, but margins will likely be hit because of increases in the costs of raw materials, labor and inventory,” says Palisin. “It’s a very unusual situation where all of these cost increases are happening at once — and at a time when tariffs are still in place. Companies just can’t pass along everything to customers.” As for the road ahead, market participants are anticipating — or at least hoping for — a gradual improvement. “We think the port log jam is slowly getting better,” says Torres. “But getting it less tied up is going to take a while.” In the meantime, many operators feel that, with the pandemic coming to an end, now is the right time for businesses delivering quality service to gain market share. Says one: “We’re assuming the worst and hoping for the best. Our overriding goal is to protect the health of our people and service our customers. Those things haven’t changed a bit. And we’ll do what it takes to get it done.” n
SPRINGS | Spring 2022 | 35
How Manufacturers Can Navigate Supply Chain Challenges
A
s the global supply chain, worker shortage and wage inflation challenges many had hoped were transitory dig in their heels, manufacturers everywhere are wondering how best to get around them. Panelists at “Successfully Navigating Current Supply Chain Disruptions,” a webinar hosted by the National Association of Manufacturers’ (NAM) Manufacturing Institute, Manufacturing Leadership Council and professional services firm PwC, sought to answer that question. Here are the speakers’ top tips as reported by NAM for manufacturers seeking to sustainably and profitably maneuver the several sizable hurdles they still face going into 2022. Break down siloes. Now that manufacturers are having to replace traditional supply chain models, changing their company operations to have staff work across siloes is more important than ever, said PwC partner Debjit Banerjee. Expect disruption. If it taught us nothing else, COVID19 conveyed the importance of being prepared for the unexpected. Going forward, manufacturers would do well to not just plan for the possibility of disruption, but to assume it will come. To that end, preplanned “differentiated customer service” and disruption drills should become the norm, Banerjee said.
36 | SPRINGS | Spring 2022
Advance your supply chain planning. Increasingly, Nexteer Automotive, a global maker of steering and driveline components, is focusing on advanced supply chain planning, programs that help predict shipments, supply and demand for smoother operations, said Nexteer automotive vice president of global manufacturing operations Dennis Hoeg. With it, “decisions can be made smarter, earlier,” said Hoeg. Automate. Manufacturers should consider automating repetitive “transaction” work and reserving their employees for analytical tasks that only humans can do, according to Hoeg. Balance agility and resilience. Before the pandemic, “we were working on a strategy that was based on agility,” said Rockwell Automation chief supply chain officer Ernest Nicolas Jr. “Through the pandemic… we had to reprioritize. We had to take a step back to balance agility and resilience.” Manufacturers that want a better agility-resilience balance can do so “through data, process and technology enablement,” according to Nicolas. “Relentlessly prioritize.” Nicolas so believes in this advice that he ended his presentation with it. “There’s so much going on right now; we want to be certain we manage our priorities,” he said. “So, there’s a lot we’re saying ‘not now’ to…but it’s not a matter of ‘no.’ It’s a matter of, ‘We’ve got to get these things finished so we can lay the foundation’” in this new normal. n
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Ransomware By Bryce Austin
There were seven people seated around the table: The chief executive officer (CEO), the vice president, the chief financial officer (CFO), the special agent from the FBI, the owner, the forensics technician and the company’s chief information security officer (CISO). “Don’t pay,” was the CEO’s vote. Same for the vice president. “Pay it,” was the owner’s response. The CFO nodded in agreement. “Paying could be a violation of Federal law,” stated the FBI representative. The CISO had a hard time getting words out, as this was the largest ransom that he had dealt with at the time. $1,200,000 was a lot of money. “I don’t see another option given the status of our backups. Either we pay the ransom, or we begin liquidating the assets of the company as soon as possible. Which is the lesser of two evils?” The CISO negotiated the ransom down to $410,000.The Bitcoin took several hours to amass. The cybercriminals delivered a decryption key, but 30 percent of the company’s data was gone forever — some of their hard drives filled up during the ransomware encryption process, and the encryption software kept running after the drives couldn’t hold any more data. Every file encrypted after that point was irretrievable. Stopping ransomware includes three key areas: Cybersecurity hygiene of your employees, proper practices by your IT department, and your data backup strategy. Here are eight ways to prevent a ransomware attack.
Ransomware Defenses to Help Prevent Attacks:
1
Add Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) on all your company’s email accounts and on all external access to your network (VPN, TeamViewer, WebEx, etc.). This will help prevent a cybercriminal from taking over an email account using a compromised username/password.
2
3 4 5
I f your company uses Windows Active Directory, do NOT log in to computers with Domain Admin accounts. There is an attack called “Pass the Hash” that will steal encrypted (hashed) credentials left behind. If you must log in with a Domain Admin account, change the password.
Patch your PCs, workstations and servers. Every month. No exceptions. That includes conference room PCs, loaner PCs, HVAC computers, etc. Patch your networking gear. Firewalls, switches, UPSs, phone system, etc.
Install good antivirus software everywhere. All PCs. All Macs. All servers. Everywhere.
38 | SPRINGS | Spring 2022
Readiness and Recovery 6 7
Geofilter your internet traffic and emails – if you don’t do business with a foreign country, block traffic and emails to/from it. It keeps out lazy cybercriminals. No, it won’t keep out the cybercriminals that VPN into your country before attacking you, but it’s surprising how many cybercriminals don’t take the time to do that.
If you are part of a company with many workstations, use the Microsoft Local Administrator Password Solution (LAPS) to randomize the local administrator password on all PCs. If you have the same initial local admin username/ password for every workstation, then if one machine gets compromised, it’s very easy for them to all get compromised.
8
If your users have local admin credentials, you may want to rethink that. Today. Right now. If a cybercriminal compromises a computer, they normally inherit the permissions of the user for that computer. If that user is a local administrator, the bad guys are going to use that access to do more damage.
In case you fall victim to ransomware, here are eight ways to recover from an attack. Please note that most of these need to be done before the attack takes place: 1. Offline backups. These are backups that are kept off your network. Cybercriminals try to delete your backups. If your backups are not on your network, the bad guys can’t destroy them. 2.Tested restore procedures. If you try to restore your backups only when you need them, you are rolling the dice every time you are in a real bind. 3. Offline restore methodology. Don’t begin a restore with your network still attached to the internet. Ransomware cases often unfold where the cybercriminals still have hooks into a company’s network, and they destroy the used-to-be-offline backups as soon as the restore process begins. 4. Workstation reimages.You need a clean workstation image to restore workstations quickly if you suspect they have been compromised. 5. Server rebuilds. You need a clean server image to recreate your servers quickly. 6. Pre-negotiated incident response team contract. Find a cyber incident response company and get a contract in place. That way you will know how to “call in the cavalry” very quickly as opposed to going through contract negotiations in the middle of a crisis.
7. 35 percent free drive space on all network drives. Ransomware often bloats the data on the drives it encrypts. As soon as a drive fills up, the encryption process will keep trying to move forward, but every file it encrypts after the drive is full will be unrecoverable. 8. If you have cybersecurity liability insurance, call your insurance company ASAP! There are many stories of insurance policies with a clause stating that the customer must inform their insurance company of a suspected incident within 24 hours of the initial discovery. If they take a few days to confirm that the incident was real, it can be an expensive mistake. If all companies followed the specific recommendations above, ransomware cybercriminals would become a thing of the past. With proactive action and a good cybersecurity awareness training program for your employees, cybercrime is a solvable problem. n Bryce Austin is the CEO of TCE Strategy, an internationally-recognized professional speaker on technology and cybersecurity issues, and author of the book “Secure Enough? 20 Questions on Cybersecurity for Business Owners and Executives.” He is the named chief information security officer for companies ranging from 40 employees to S&P 500 organizations. Austin actively advises companies on effective methods to mitigate cyber threats. For more information, please visit: www.BryceAustin.com.
SPRINGS | Spring 2022 | 39
Information You Can Use Today By C. Richard Gordon
In his 2019 presentation titled, “Evaluation of Stress Concentrators and Their Effect on Fatigue Life”, at the SMI Metal Engineering eXpo event in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Jason Sicotte, Associated Spring/Barnes Group, described the use of the iPhone or other types of smartphones along with clip-on magnifiers as a useful tool for springmakers to examine spring manufacturing-induced imperfections.
100x magnification
LED lights
Change port
I recently took a test drive of the Apexel 100X magnifier for the iPhone as part of the preparation work for the 301 Springs — Fatigue spring design training class. It is amazing what can be done with an iPhone with a clipon magnifier. In many cases, springmakers can examine wire fractures in-house to identify spring manufacturing-induced imperfections. This allows for a quick assessment and corrective action and may avoid the time and cost of a formal failure analysis program. It can also be used to assess the shot peening coverage on the outside diameter of a spring. Figure 1 shows an example of a clip-on magnifier with 100X magnification that costs less than $30. It also shows how it is attached to the smartphone. Figure 2 shows an iPhone photograph of an extension spring used for this example. Figure 3 shows photographs of the extension spring surface taken using an iPhone with a 10X loupe magnifier and the 100X Apexel clip-on magnifier. The 100X photograph shows a nicely shot peened surface. This could be a very useful tool to add to your toolbox. n
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Figure 2. An iPhone photograph of an extension spring for examination. The white arrow points to a black identification mark shown in the Figure 3.
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40 | SPRINGS | Spring 2022
100x Loupe with Apexel clip-on magnifier with iPhone
Figure 3. Photographs of the extension spring shown in Figure 2 with two different magnifiers.
SMI Introduces First 300-Level Spring Design Course
By Gary McCoy
SMI’s technical director, Rick Gordon, presented the first offering of the association’s first advanced spring design training class, Spring Design 301–Springs Fatigue in January 2022. Thirty-nine students from 25 companies participated in the webinar which was well received with many favorable student comments. The training effort was supported by Todd Piefer, vice president, applications development at Universal Technical Systems, Inc. (UTS), SMI’s software partner. Piefer helped facilitate the class, administering quizzes and addressing student questions about the Advanced Spring Design software (ASD7). Development of the 301 training module was championed by Jason Sicotte at Associated Spring/Barnes Group and Al Mangels at Lee Spring Company. Piefer at UTS provided important content using the ASD7 software. Additional team members included SMI president Bert Goering, Gary Van Buren and Gordon. Based on student input, the next training modules selected for development are: 205–Beam, Constant Force, Spiral and Torsion Bar Spring Design and 206–Snap Ring Design. There has also been interest expressed for advanced 201, 202, and 203 classes. In the 16 course offerings (201, 202, 203, 301) to date, 440 student training sessions have been taught both in person and virtually. A second new class, 304 Springs–Dimensioning, Tolerancing, and Testing was scheduled to take place March 24, and SMI’s third new class, 206–Snap Ring Design will be offered Sept. 15. Future class offerings in the popular basic (200 series) and advanced (300 series) include: 2022 Virtual Classes
Date
201 Compression Spring Design
Thursday, April 14, 2022
202 Extension Spring Design
Thursday, May 19, 2022
203 Torsion Spring Design
Thursday, June 16, 2022
301 Springs–Fatigue
Thursday, July 21, 2022
206 Snap Ring Design
Thursday, Sept. 15, 2022
201 Compression Spring Design
Thursday, Oct. 20, 2022
202 Extension Spring Design
Thursday, Nov. 17, 2022
203 Torsion Spring Design
Thursday, Dec. 15, 2022
SMI will present two in-person classes at the 2022 CASMI SpringWorld event as shown below: 2022 In Person Classes — CASMI SpringWorld
Date
301 Springs–Fatigue
Wednesday, Oct 12, 2022
304 Springs–Dimensioning, Tolerancing and Testing
Thursday, Oct. 13, 2022
Training Overview
SMI’s spring design training program consists of three fundamental, seven basic, and four advanced spring design training classes. Fundamentals courses were developed with new hires and non-technical staff in mind. Basic classes are designed to meet the needs of production and technical staff, including engineers, designers and inspectors. Advanced courses address a higher level of expertise for engineers, designers and other technical staff. The SMI technical committee has been working to develop these programs. Two fundamentals training modules, “Spring Fundamentals” and “Overview of Spring Making Materials,” are available to the public on the SMI website: www.smihq.org. SMI member feedback for these modules has been very favorable. Courses are organized as focused, real-world spring design training programs, combining basic spring design content for each spring type with practical hands-on use of SMI’s wellrespected ASD7 software. For each spring type, students will learn: • The seven-step spring design process • Definitions and terminology • Design theory • Design stress analysis • How to input engineering design data into the ASD7 software • Important ASD7 tolerancing criteria Classes benefit students by increasing their spring design knowledge and benefit their company by having an SMI-trained associate as part of their team. For more information, visit www.smihq.org or contact Dina Sanchez at dina@smihq.org. n SMI has a team of experts, who speak the language of springs, ready to assist you. It could be a metallurgy question about fatigue life or corrosion. Or perhaps you need help with a spring design and the use of materials when manufacturing springs. To find out how SMI Technical Services can help you, phone 630-495-8588 or visit www.smihq.org/springsadvice.
SPRINGS | Spring 2022 | 41
Flashback
By Gary McCoy
SMI Annual Market Summary As Kelley Christy of Diamond Wire Spring and chairman of SMI’s Benchmarking Committee stated in the Committee Connection article on p. 63, there is great value in measuring your company against the rest of the industry. “Our company has benefited greatly from the SMI Annual Market Summary because it helps us understand our business
42 | SPRINGS | Spring 2022
as compared with others in our industry, but it also provides us with an individualized report,” stated Christy. In this edition of Flashback, we publish data from the annual market summary reports from 1981 and 1982. Enjoy this look back from the October 1983 issue of Springs and reflect on where we have come as an industry over the past 40 years. n
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Five Questions
Gibraltar Corporation Five Questions provides an opportunity for SMI associate members to tell the spring industry about the products and services they offer. In this edition, we talk with Michael Shapiro, President, Gibraltar Corporation.
1|
Can you tell us about the history of Gibraltar Corporation?
Gibraltar was started in 2005 as the North American agent of Simco. Since 2005, we’ve expanded our product line offering with Pyromaitre’s high speed stress relieving and tempering furnaces, YSM verstislides, SAS testers, Delta, our own line of cost effective small wire CNC coilers, 2-8mm formers, and single and double table downfeed grinders. We also offer cost effective, high quality carbide spring tooling with suppliers in Korea, Taiwan and Italy.
2|
What are the latest trends in springmaking and wireforming equipment?
solutions at different price points to suit the individual needs of our customers, all of which are backed by our responsive service and support.
4|
How has the pandemic impacted your business during the past two years?
In many ways. We’ve pivoted many of our in-person visits and meetings to video for sales, support and training. We now stock more machines, tooling, and spare parts due to the extended lead-times and logistical delays. We try to be proactive when possible, but we had no plan for the pandemic so we adapted as required.
5|
Can you tell us about a recent challenge that you were able to solve for a customer?
With every day comes opportunities to assist customers and solve problems. Our business is based on addressing customer challenges, including technical, budgetary, logistical, support and providing responsive responses and solutions. n Gibraltar Corporation 1945 Techny Road Unit 5 Northbrook, IL 60062 Phone: 847-383-5442 mshapiro@gibraltar8.com www.gibraltar8.com
The common denominator in the industry is lack of labor, so all trends are focused on increased use of automation, increasing production speed of the equipment, real-time inspection and ease of usage.
3|
Gibraltar represents several different machinery and accessory manufacturers. What advantage does that provide to springmakers?
Our slogan is ‘one source, many solutions.’ We offer a variety of options and Michael Shapiro
SPRINGS | Spring 2022 | 45
©iStockphoto.com/Björn Meyer
Springmaker Spotlight
Gene Huber, Jr.
Faith and Family A Profile of Gene Huber, Jr. and Winamac Coil Spring By Gary McCoy, Managing Editor
Ggrowing up in the spring industry at Winamac Coil Spring in Kewanna,
ene Huber, Jr., the incoming president of SMI, has fond memories of
Indiana. It’s the company his maternal grandfather, Walter Pesaresi, started back in 1948. Huber remembers coming to the plant with his grandpa and occasionally on Saturdays when his father, Gene Huber Sr., needed to get some work done. He fondly recalls one Saturday pushing a hand cart with his brother, Chad Huber, through the aisles of the factory. “We ran into a barrel of springs in the dark and they happened to be shiny gold brass. We hit that barrel and right then the buzzer for the morning break went off. There was not a soul in factory besides us. We thought we had broken into Fort Knox, and we ran like crazy,” recalled Huber with a chuckle. The two brothers did not destroy the factory and are now part of the thirdgeneration leadership team that runs Winamac Coil Spring. Huber serves as
SPRINGS | Spring 2022 | 47
Springmaker Spotlight
Huber, Jr. (right) working on part development with Phil Fritz.
Sean Rainford displaying his work cell at the company’s plant two.
executive vice president and Chad is the vice president of operations over the company’s three manufacturing plants. They work together with their cousins Tony Pesaresi, company president; Andrew Pesaresi, who until recently was the division manager of the company’s wireform division and now works in the purchasing department; and DJ Pesaresi, vice president of purchasing. In addition, several fourth-generation family members are now part of Winamac Coil Spring, including Huber’s son, Eric, who works in the company’s machine build design and software areas, and son Brock, who works in the maintenance area and will become the department manager when a longtime employee retires in May. Tony Pesaresi’s son, Garrett, heads up the company’s wireform division located in nearby Winamac. Huber is quick to point out that, in addition to family, there is a strong contingent of outside talent to bolster the company in sales, production, engineering, quality and floor management. The Path Forward Huber said the third-generation leadership team has built upon the success of its second-generation predecessors that included the late Joe Pesaresi, president, Dan Pesaresi Sr., chairman, Gene Huber Sr., chief financial officer and Barb Huber, corporate secretary. In an article on Winamac Coil Spring published in the Winter 2010 issue of Springs, Joe Pesaresi remarked about the third generation that would someday lead the company. Joe said the biggest issue the next generation would face is “finding the right people that will work with them, like Gene, Danny and I did. I hope they’re blessed with that,” he said. “We were just fortunate to have the right people through the years. And they’re hard to find today.”
“ The dedication, innovation and skill of our employees have helped our company become leaders in the large spring and wireform industry.”
48 | SPRINGS | Spring 2022
Springmaker Spotlight
The challenge for the third generation to uphold their grandfather’s value of hard work and determination was tested early on when they took over the company in 2015. “At the time when the second generation retired, the third generation had a very minority ownership of the company,” said Huber. “We chuckle that we owned the hubcaps.” The company had just bought its new plant in Winamac to house its wireform division at about the same time one of Winamac’s biggest product lines in the ag sector took a sharp decline. “It was something that the ag world had not done in a long time,” remarked Huber. That downturn lasted nearly five years. “We joke that we got handed the keys to the car and we didn’t have a steering wheel,” lamented Huber. Huber says they made it through, and recently implemented a new ERP system and several different lean protocols. Other than that early challenge, Huber says the transition between generations went very well except for when it came to changing offices. “Both dad and uncle Joe went away for the winter, and at that point they still came into the office just about every day,” explained Huber. “Because we were looking to expand the offices, Tony and I had decided we would have different offices at a more convenient location. They both said, ‘No, no, just take over our offices. We’ll find someplace to be.’” While the second generations leaders were away for the winter, the move took place. “I wouldn’t suggest it that way,” said Huber with a laugh. “We put ‘executive wing’ over a hallway that led to their offices. And when they came back there were a lot of quiet moments.” I remember hearing my dad explain his new office to somebody. “They said, ‘Gene, nice new office,’ and he said, ‘It’s just a closet.’”
Growth Opportunities Winamac Coil Spring continues to be known for manufacturing compression, extension, single and double torsion springs, and wireforms working with wire sizes ranging from .008" to .625". They serve a variety of markets, including agricultural, off-road recreational, lawn and garden, railroad, appliance, construction, recreational vehicles, irrigation, valving, industrial, furniture and general industrial. In 2020, Winamac Coil Spring was inducted into the Indiana Manufacturers Association’s Hall of Fame. When the company received the award, Tony Pesaresi remarked, “From rural Indiana we supply six of the world’s top agriculture equipment companies, as well as some of the most recognized brands in the offroad power sports industry.” The company employs 170 workers among its three plants, two in Kewanna and one in Winamac. The company has nearly 250,00 square feet of factory space with room to expand. Huber says they could still use more people if they could just find them. He says the automation of many processes has allowed them to do more with less. Huber says the company continues to follow the motto: “We like to innovate and fix people’s problems.” He says they often say to customers: “Let us jump in where you’ve got a problem and let us become the supplier you don’t want to live without.”
Barbi Baldwin at her work station at the company’s plant one.
Eric Huber works in the company’s machine build design and software areas.
A banner at Winamac Coil Spring that displays the company’s values to its employees.
Extension springs continue to be an important part of the company’s product offerings.
SPRINGS | Spring 2022 | 49
Springmaker Spotlight
Huber says engineers are typically conservative by nature, but he says there are times when you have to say, “It looks like a risk, but it’s one we’re willing to try.” It harkens back to company founder Walter Pesaresi, who was often known by the phrase: “We may have to fix it later, but just keep moving.” He says they are currently looking at a recap of their finishing department (grinding) and to move ahead with new technology. Huber says they are also looking at mergers and acquisitions (M&A), “meaning, is there something out there we should diversify into?”
Winamac Coil Spring has never been a supplier to the automotive industry, but Huber says they recently helped design a part for a customer that will go inside an engine. “We’ll see if that goes any further, because that would almost be like an M&A,” explained Huber. “That would perhaps be the start of an LLC that we put on its own, but it would be a single product.” Overall, Huber says the leadership team at Winamac Coil Spring is excited and positive about the future. He went on to say, “A normal thing for us to say is that Kewanna, Indiana is not the mecca of the world, nor the corner on
education and knowledge, but we love to learn from others in the industry.” A Technical Start With an engineering degree from Purdue University, it was only natural that Huber would first get involved with SMI as a member of the technical committee. He’s always enjoyed what he calls the “pool of camaraderie” that SMI provides, because of the opportunity to bounce ideas off other technical experts like former SMI president Dan Sebastian and Jason Sicotte of Associated Spring. “We’re all in like-minded businesses, which means we can talk about things we are doing to help each other without
Huber says the company continues to follow the motto: “We like to innovate and fix people’s problems.” He says they often say to customers: “Let us jump in where you’ve got a problem and let us become the supplier you don’t want to live without.”
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Springmaker Spotlight
giving away our own secret sauce,” explained Huber. Huber jokes that he was on the technical committee long enough that he ended up becoming the committee chair. He was later asked to join the executive committee, which would eventually lead him to become president of SMI. Huber will officially begin his two-year term as president when SMI holds its annual meeting in Scottsdale, Arizona, April 23–26.
While he is more comfortable with the technical committee because of his background, Huber says he enjoys the executive committee and the ability to engage with SMI in a different way. “I always tell my wife, Sherri, ‘I feel like I got fortunate to sit in a room with a lot of smart people and if I keep my mouth shut, they won’t know what I don’t know,’” said Huber with a smile. “I have grandparents, parents, aunts and uncles, and cousins who have all
been involved in this industry for a long time,” said Huber. “We come from what you might call the ‘sticks,’ so it’s interesting for me to say that I’m the president of SMI. It’s humbling, and I look forward to trying to payback in some area for the many times SMI members have helped me and our company in the past.” Staying Relevant As he embarks on being president, Huber believes one of the challenges is keeping
Two Association Presidents, One Company Gene Huber, Jr. and his cousin, Tony Pesaresi, might be the only individuals from one company in the spring industry to ever serve simultaneously as presidents of SMI and the Chicago Association of Spring Manufacturers (CASMI). Pesaresi has served as CASMI president since 2019 and is currently a member of the SMI board of directors as the CASMI representative. Pesaresi’s two-year term as CASMI president was extended due to COVID19 and will conclude in 2023. Winamac Coil Spring’s legacy of association service started with Dan Pesaresi, Sr., who served as a CASMI board member and a one-year term as president in 1970. Dan’s son, DJ Pesaresi, also served on the CASMI board and was once in line to become CASMI president before needing to step aside for personal reasons. “My uncle Joe enjoyed attending the SMI meetings, but he was not a committee guy,” explained Huber. In addition to CASMI, Huber says his uncle Dan served on several SMI committees and his dad was a member of the benchmarking committee. On the distinction of two cousins being association presidents at the same time, Tony Pesaresi said they are both happy to add to their respective spring manufacturing organizations that each have a different purpose. “Where SMI has a national, global and far-reaching focus, CASMI is
Gene Huber, Jr. and his cousin, Tony Pesaresi.
centered on being a regional group,” explained Pesaresi. “While they both have a different emphasis, it’s just an accomplishment for both of us to give back to our industry.” Pesaresi said the honor of leading their respective associations exemplifies the roots they both have in the industry and “wanting to see the industry get better and to work together to make that happen.” Pesaresi said that once Huber made the commitment to become more involved in SMI by joining the executive committee, “I let him know that I personally supported his endeavors
with SMI, and that the company would stand by him 110 percent in whatever he needed. When I say ‘our company,’ that does mean a lot because we’re family.” Pesaresi sends well wishes to his cousin on becoming the next president of SMI. “Gene has already exemplified the technical aspects of the industry and has shared his knowledge for many years that way,” said Pesaresi. “I wish him the best when it comes to leading the overall organization as well, and I’ve told him that I am always here to help.”
SPRINGS | Spring 2022 | 51
Springmaker Spotlight
The third-generation leadership team at Winamac Coil Spring: Gene Huber, Jr., DJ Pesaresi, Tony Pesaresi, Chad Huber and Andy Pesaresi.
A great memory of the 2nd through 4th generations of Winamac Coil Spring at the 2016 CASMI SpringWorld trade show. Pictured front row (l-to-r): Gene Huber, Jr., Brock Huber, Gene Huber, Sr., Dan Pesaresi, Jr., Joe Pesaresi and DJ Pesaresi. Back row (l-to-r): Eric Huber, Andy Pesaresi, Garrett Pesaresi, Tony Pesaresi, Chad Huber and Kirk Huber. A bench donated by Winamac Coil Spring employees to honor the legacy of former president Joe Pesaresi, who passed away in 2018.
52 | SPRINGS | Spring 2022
SMI relevant to all companies who are members. As mergers and acquisitions have taken place in the industry, Huber asks, “Do these overarching corporations feel the same way about SMI as a private, family business owner does?” Huber believes they should. He points to one company that has used events like the SMI Metal Engineering eXpo as an opportunity to bring divisional managers together for company meetings, to participate in educational sessions, to see and buy new equipment and to network with other springmakers. As the new SMI president, Huber sees the priority of continuing some of the successes in industry education that are already in place through the educational symposia at the Metal Engineering eXpo and SMI’s new spring design training classes. “We need to push forward into education and keep it moving,” explained Huber. “Gathering information and making it readily available to springmakers is very important to our success.” He also sees the need to continue unifying the industry. “We must continue to push forward and bring our industry together across the board, across the nation as much as we can through the Americas and also into Europe and beyond to create that synergy,” Huber explained. “We’re all challenged right now with material issues and COVID-19-related things,” said Huber. “Hopefully by the time the end of my tenure comes, that’s behind us. Right now, we must continue to meet those challenges head on and keep everyone moving.” All in the Family Huber says his parents, Barb and Gene Sr. set a strong example of faith, family and hard work for him and his siblings to follow. In the wintertime, his parents spend time in Phoenix, Arizona with Huber’s twin sister Gina and her husband James. The Huber twins are the oldest, followed by Missy, who lives in Indianapolis with her husband, Greg. Chad is the youngest and married to Pam.
Springmaker Spotlight
The Huber family pictured (l-to-r): Son Eric, granddaughter Aspen, daughter-in-law Felicia, granddaughter Paisleigh, son Brock, daughter-in-law Taylor, grandson Cole, son Ross, daughter-in-law Emmy, wife Sherri, Gene, son Quinn, daughter-in-law Erica (carrying granddaughter Roma), grandson Zander and son Kirk.
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SPRINGS | Spring 2022 | 53
Springmaker Spotlight
Huber and his wife, Sherri, have five boys. Eric is the oldest and married to Felicia. They have two daughters, Aspen and Paisleigh. Kirk is married to Erica, and they have a son, Zander and a daughter, Roma. Brock is married to Taylor, and they have a son, Cole. Ross just got married to Emmy and is pursuing studies at Purdue University. Quinn is a junior in high school. As mentioned earlier, Eric and Brock work at Winamac Coil Spring. Kirk spent some time working at the family business, but recently decided to take a job in the software industry. The Hubers are active members of the Francesville Apostolic Christian Church. Huber says faith is an important part of his life. “The Great Commission in the Bible is all about spreading the Word of God. Jesus Christ was a relational person, and until we build relationships with people, we can’t show who Jesus Christ is. I believe in the ministry of reconciliation that is found in the Bible.” The affection Huber has for his own family extends to the family at Winamac Coil Spring. As he said a few years ago when they joined the Indiana Manufacturer Association’s Hall of Fame, “The dedication, innovation and skill of our employees have helped our company become leaders in the large spring and wireform industry.” Huber says the teamwork among family and employees is what makes the company great. “My job, a lot of times, is to invent and look into new products and how we can make them. Tony’s job is to make sure we are strategically aligned, and he does that very well.” Huber says each member of the thirdgeneration leadership team brings a unique perspective to help elevate the company. “Within a family business there is talent that somebody brings to
the table that you would miss if they were not there.” Huber says he tries to follow the Golden Rule: to treat others as you would like to be treated. He says it makes sense in his employer/employee relationships
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Book Corner ©iStockphoto.com/kertlis
Untapped Talent Reviewed by Gary McCoy
T
he opening line of the introduction to the book “Untapped Talent: How Second Chance Hiring Works for Your Business and the Community” got my attention because of the unprecedented challenge springmakers and society in general faces: Where to find the next generation of workers. In the book, Jeffrey D. Korzenik lays out the task when he says, “The successful CEO of the future will be the one who can effectively manage through the coming talent shortage.” Korzenik provides a strategy for business leaders for meeting this challenge, with a particular focus on providing a “second chance” to those with criminal records. The author first lays out the size of the worker shortage challenge, and goes on to provide a solution that every business should consider. Korzenik says employers who hire second chance workers have access to a labor pool overlooked by competitors and community partners who are willing to help them staff and train employees. While the author says there is a large pool of job candidates with criminal records to choose from, he focuses on how to choose quality over quantity. The book provides lots of helpful information on the criminal justice system to provide a context in identifying the potential of second chance hiring. As the publisher, HarperCollins Leadership, explains in a summary of the book, “‘Untapped Talent’ includes dozens of examples of businesses (from
factories to restaurants to retail) that have successfully implemented the second chance hiring practices outlined in this book.” The book includes practical onboarding and coaching strategies that will help ensure a smooth transition and a productive, happy new employee. I’ve met several springmakers who are willing to give employee candidates a second chance and have had success
in doing so. This book will help those who’ve already done it and those who might want to consider it. n Have a favorite business book you would like to tell us about or review? Send your suggestions to Springs magazine editor Gary McCoy at gmccoy@fairwaycommunications.com.
SPRINGS | Spring 2022 | 55
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ABB Apprentices Join the Next Generation of Manufacturers
A
s manufacturers work to fill the skills gap and hire more employees, some are modernizing a tried-and-true approach: taking on apprentices. In Fort Smith, Arkansas, ABB, an industrial electric motor and robotics manufacturer, is leading the way with its innovative program for local high school students. Apprentices work three hours per day, four days per week during the school year and 40 hours per week during the summer. ABB trains them in a range of roles, to provide them with a strong foundation in manufacturing skills and the ability to work their way into an advanced technician role. “These students are getting paid, and paid well for a part-time job,” said ABB vice president of operations Johnny McKusker. “They learn a variety of skills that most juniors and seniors in high school aren’t exposed to. And if
they decide they like manufacturing and want to stay on, then we’re getting a person who joined us early, has had a lot of training and investment and is able to contribute at a high level early in their career.” Last year, nearly all of ABB’s apprentices took on permanent roles within the company after graduating. They were also able to continue their education through a local university, with ABB providing tuition reimbursement to help them pay for it. “Manufacturing as a career has changed significantly in the last 25 years,” said McKusker. “It’s not hot, dirty and dangerous work. Instead, it offers technical skill development and an opportunity to earn a good living.” According to at least one participant in the program, the apprenticeship has been an excellent way to learn important
skills and gain experience in a real work environment. “My experience has been great,” said Nadia, a current apprentice working on the digital solutions team. “It’s given me the opportunity to learn about manufacturing, but also about bonding and building relationships with my colleagues. I’m getting the experience of what a real job would be like outside of school.” “I want to continue working for this company,” said Nadia. “I took this apprenticeship because ABB was my dream job from the start, because of how great they are in industrial engineering. Seeing the opportunities here and seeing how they take care of bonding and relationship building — it’s something I really like and appreciate.” (Source: Manufacturing Institute, Dec. 9, 2021, https://bit.ly/3FHVOge)
Manufacturing as a career has changed significantly in the last 25 years. It’s not hot, dirty and dangerous work. Instead, it offers technical skill development and an opportunity to earn a good living.
SPRINGS | Spring 2022 | 57
Safety & Health
Cold Stress 1
The Problem
Fast Facts
4
Cold temperatures are often associated with occupations that take employees outdoors during the winter months. In addition to the obvious outdoor cold condition jobs, many employees work indoors in refrigerated environments year round. Production facilities involving food and the distribution network required to get refrigerated food products to consumers require exposure to cold conditions. Prolonged exposure can lead to cold stress. Some employers fail to recognize and address cold stress hazards due to lack of monitoring and knowing the related signs and symptoms, which include: • • • •
MAIN FACTORS
that contribute1 to cold stress:
Hypothermia Frostbite Cold water immersion Dehydration
2
• High or cold wind • Dampness • Cold temperatures • Cold water
Solutions that Work Even the most attentive, proactive worker can’t tackle the dangers of cold stress alone. A cooperative approach is important. OSHA’s guidance for cold stress prevention lists engineering controls, training, safe work practices and personal protective equipment (PPE), such as appropriate cold weather attire, as foundational components for employers to build into their work plans. Employers should: • Provide engineering controls such as thermostats and door flaps to help control exposure • Train workers on how to help prevent and recognize cold stress illnesses and injuries, and how to apply first aid treatment • Give workers frequent breaks in warm areas • Ensure employees are dressed properly in cold temperatures • Reduce exposure time • Allow workers to interrupt work if they feel a cold condition affecting them
3
70°F Hypothermia can occur in any water temperature below this level.2
How Grainger Can Help
2x
Twice as many people die of “excessive cold” conditions in a given year than of “excessive heat.”3
Grainger has what you need to help keep your employees safe in extreme cold conditions.
Products
Services
Expertise
Resources
• Insulated Clothing • Hand & Foot Warmers
• Grainger Online SafetyManager Suite®
• Technical Product Support
• Safety & Health Solution Center
Email safetysupport@grainger.com
• Field Safety Specialists
• Portable Heaters • Blankets • Ice Melt
grainger.com/safety
• Safety & Health Catalog grainger.com/safetycatalog
• Grainger KnowHowSM site
• Anti-Slip Footwear Attachments • Work Shelters
grainger.com/knowhow
Your Grainger Rep is Standing By Contact your Grainger representative or login to Grainger.com/smi and view a list of the most common cold stress related products 1 2
©2019 W.W. Grainger, Inc. W-BMCL570-2 G0029
G R A I N GE R . C O M/SA F ETY
3
https://ehs.princeton.edu/workplace-construction/occupational-health/heat-cold-stress/cold-stress-facts NIOSH, Cold Water Immersion, June 2018 CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics Compressed Mortality Database
Inside SMI
A
fter four years of service to SMI as the association’s technical advisor, Gary Van Buren announced his retirement effective March 1, 2022. Van Buren plans to continue to participate informally on the SMI technical committee. Van Buren, a longtime SMI member, joined the SMI staff in 2018. With more
Linda and Gary Van Buren at the 2020 SMI Annual Meeting in the Bahamas.
than 25 years in the industry, he was well suited for the position. Most of his experience came at Spring Team, Inc. in Austinburg, Ohio as the company’s engineering manager. While at Spring Team, Van Buren was a member of the SMI technical committee for approximately 15 years. In his work with SMI, Van Buren was available to assist members with design and problem-solving issues, including spring design and technical consultation. Most recently he was responsible for teaching SMI’s new spring design training classes. “Gary has been a valuable contributor to SMI’s technical services, assisting with many member questions and helping teach the spring design courses,” said SMI executive director, Lynne Carr. “We wish the best to Gary and his wife, Linda, in retirement. He will be missed.”
SMI’s technical director, C. Richard (Rick) Gordon, said that Van Buren has been a great partner and contributor to the SMI technical effort. “The knowledge and experience which he developed at Spring Team have been great assets in answering spring design questions. Gary also served as our trainer as we introduced the spring design courses of compression, extension and torsion springs. He taught 15 of our 16 classes, training over 400 students. We all wish Gary and his wife Linda the very best in his retirement.” Van Buren holds degrees in electrical engineering and mechanical engineering from Kent State University. To send best wishes to Van Buren, he can be reached at gvanburen2@gmail.com. ©iStockphoto.com/MF3d
©iStockphoto.com/seraficus
Gary Van Buren Retires as SMI Technical Advisor
Send Us Your News SMI members receive priority placement for their product, company, personnel and events announcements in the magazine. Your news releases should be roughly 50 to 100 words and may be accompanied by color photos (highresolution .JPEG photos at 300 dpi preferred). Send to dina@smihq.org. Van Buren taught the first spring design training class at the 2019 SMI Metal Engineering eXpo in Pittsburgh.
SPRINGS | Spring 2022 | 59
Inside SMI
SMI’s New 401(k) Retirement Plan Launches A Q&A About the Program with Liz Hickox of Core Financial Partners
L
ast year SMI introduced a new 401(k) multiple employer program through Core Financial Partners (CFP). The program is designed to provide SMI members with a resource to offer its employees a superior retirement program that lessens the burden of plan administration and can help save money. Liz Hickox of Core Financial Partners is a retirement plan specialist and the point person for SMI’s new offering. Based in Newport, Rhode Island, Hickox has been traveling throughout the U.S. over the past year to introduce SMI members to the new program. We recently caught up with Hickox to provide an overview and update on the plan.
What is a Multiple Employer Plan 401(k) and what are the advantages to individual SMI members?
A multiple employer plan can refer to a few things. At its core, it’s just that. Multiple employers as part of a common nexus or association that come together to leverage each other for buying power, and strength in numbers. The SMI Plan offers two variations of a multiple employer plan, a traditional closed MEP and an exchange plan. A closed MEP offers large plans the ability to not only enjoy the benefits of lower fees, but the ability to share the cost of the audit while maintaining their own plan design features. Smaller, non-audited plans are siloed outside this arrangement to avoid any audit costs, yet enjoy the same cost savings. Each plan is priced on an individual basis so the larger plans will not ever subsidize the costs for the smaller plans, yet both achieve greater buying power as adopting employers through their membership in the SMI program.
What are some of the risks and liabilities that SMI members can face who sponsor their own 401(k) program?
Sponsoring a 401(k) is a tremendous amount of time and risk. You are not only overseeing your money, but business owners (plan sponsors) are also personally responsible for the retirement assets of each employee. I was very fortunate to attend the retirement of an SMI client/member that oversaw her company’s 401(k). The plan was (is!) my “Marquis Client;” their plan
60 | SPRINGS | Spring 2022
was without a doubt the most well run that I had ever had the pleasure of working with. I was, and am, very proud of it. As we enjoyed cake and celebrations in the plant cafeteria, I asked her how much time she had dedicated to simply overseeing the plan? “About 20 hours a month,” she replied. Done right (as it rarely is!), a 401(k) takes a lot of time. Any person involved in plan assets is a fiduciary, and not only must perform their job and act in the best interest of the plan and its participants, but they also need to stay educated and current in their understanding and oversight of qualified plans. The current 401(k) landscape has drawn the attention of ambulance chasing lawyers hungry for a chance to win. Among the hot topics they look to pursue are excessive fees (“Was there a lower share class available?”), investment quality (“Are you offering an underperforming fund that doesn’t adhere to IPS criteria? Do you have an IPS?”). Any disgruntled employee can call the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) and make a claim (“I think my former employer’s plan had high fees), and they will open up a case. Will it go anywhere? Maybe… Maybe not…But it will take time; and should the DOL find a breach that resulted in losses, participants accounts are to be made whole by the plan fiduciaries from personal assets. From an administrative perspective, it’s a lot to oversee! “Are you tracking eligibility?” “Are you sending disclosures and notices with the appropriate timeline?” “Have you ensured that hardship
Liz Hickox on the steps of the Core Financial Partners mobile office, a 27-foot Airstream trailer.
claims are legitimate?” “What is your onboarding procedure?” ”Do you have an education program with qualified teachers?” All these tasks and the associated risk, unless outsourced to a named third party in writing, fall on the shoulders of the plan sponsor and the individuals that handle any plans assets.
How does Core Financial Partners and its program partners Pentegra and Empower America help alleviate these risks?
We’re really proud of this plan. Outgoing SMI president Bert Goering and the SMI board of directors spent a lot of time researching not only the appropriate strategy (there are numerous iterations of multiple employer plans) to determine which was best for their members, but also the partners supporting it. Empower is the #1 recordkeeper for plans under $50 million and offered us an extremely competitive fee structure for all members regardless of size; they offer access to investments and provide a robust participant experience and website; they assist in distributing notices, offer structured and custom on-site education from employee education specialists.1
Inside SMI
Admittedly, plan advisors are not educators. That’s not our job and at times can promote a conflict of interest if an advisor makes a recommendation to invest in higher fee assets outside the plan. The SMI plan eliminates the risk to the employee and the plan trustees by employing skilled and experienced educators to offer fiduciary level guidance to participants. Pentegra acts as a full scope administrative fiduciary and assumes the risk and responsibility for all administrative tasks, in writing. Additionally, (and importantly!) they also sign the 5500, removing the business owners name from the return, and the risk that goes along with it. The plan trustees are no longer the face of company to the DOL. The investment piece, from my experience, is where most plan sponsors are unknowingly incorrect in their understanding of who is ultimately responsible for investment selection, replacement and removal decisions. Many assume the platform recordkeeper is responsible for fund recommendations or that the advisor is. In 99.97 percent of all cases, they are not, and results in a proprietary fund lineup. Many plans retain an advisor that assumes some of the responsibility (a limited scope 3(21)-level fiduciary), but not ALL. Unless a plan retains a full scope 3(38) fiduciary level investment advisor in writing, the ultimate responsibility for investment oversight and final decisions of fund oversight and management fall on the plan sponsor’s shoulders. The SMI retirement program retains a third-party team of professionals comprised of seven chartered financial analysts that not only assume the task of making unbiased, non-proprietary decisions, but the risk associated with it. Your advisor may have a Nobel Prize for their theory on asset allocation from Wharton, but unless they acknowledge full responsibility for all investment decisions that role is still the plan sponsor’s. In addition, our relationship with RPAG2 (www.rpag.com) offers SMI
members with exclusive access to extremely low-cost CITs (collective investment trusts) that are not available outside this relationship. Our team at CFP works with the 3(38) investment team in a fiduciary capacity and acts as advocate and partner for all members. CFP works alongside the plan sponsor to continually monitor all services and providers, as well as review plan design, structure employee education and repeatedly benchmark all plan fees to ensure reasonableness, including our own.
how their products are made, and more importantly, who they were as business owners and individuals. We learned and appreciated how they came to the industry and how they grow their business. We heard what their strengths are, and what their challenges are. We had lunch; we talked family and football (go Dawgs!) and learned they all have one thing in common. SMI members care deeply about their employees and, although they may be direct competitors to each other, support each other as colleagues.
Can you tell us about some of the meetings you’ve had so far with SMI members?
What are your accommodations when you are on the road to meet with members?
If you know me, you know I love industrialism. I’ll gladly accept any invite to tour a plant and love to hear how things are made. Last fall, we held to our promise to Bert and his team and set out on a monthlong trip to the Midwest, the hotbed of spring manufacturers, to introduce the SMI plan. We visited SMI members in New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Illinois, Indiana and Michigan. We toured their factories and learned what their specialty is;
Why do I feel you set this question up? Ha! Our business, much like the SMI, is family owned. My husband Brian is a Certified Financial Planner (CFP®), and my business partner. Although he has solid experience in the qualified plan world, he took a different path and works exclusively with business owners on an individual basis (estate and business succession plans, executive compensation).
Calendar of Key Events for the Global Spring Industry July 21 SMI Spring Design Training May 19 301 Springs — Fatigue SMI Spring Design Training Online 202 Extension Spring Design www.smihq.org Online Oct. 5–7 www.smihq.org wire and Tube June 7–9 Southeast Asia WAI WireExpo Bangkok, Thailand Dallas, Texas www.wire-southeastasia.com wirenet.org/events/wire-expo Oct. 12–14 June 16 SpringWorld 2022 SMI Spring Design Training Donald E. Stephens Convention 203 Torsion Spring Design Center, Rosemont, Illinois Online www.casmi-springworld.org www.smihq.org Oct. 25–27 June 20–24 wire South America wire & Tube 2022 São Paulo, Brazil Düsseldorf, Germany www.wire-south-america.com www.wire-tradefair.com
2022
Nov. 9–11 ISO/TC227 Meetings Hangzhou, China Nov. 23–25 wire India Mumbai www.wire-india.com
2023 Sept. 12–14 SMI Metal Engineering eXpo South Point Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas www.metalengineeringexpo.org
SPRINGS | Spring 2022 | 61
Inside SMI
While we complement each other, we have very different skill sets and defer to each other’s area of expertise with respect and appreciation. I spent a great deal of time on the road in the early stages of this plan, which left us apart from each other. Additionally, as a (fairly!) competitive triathlete, it left me falling short of my commitment to my personal goals, and to lead a healthy life. Airport food limits healthy options, and as much as I vow to bring my sneakers and run on the hotel treadmill, it simply never happens. With a 98-pound rescue “Lab-ish” dog named Salty that is too big to fly, I never saw my family and was alone in a hotel four days a week.
In the spring of 2021, we made the commitment to hit the road and meet as many SMI members as physically possible, and the only way to do that was to take our business and personal life (and our dog) with us. Core Financial Partners mobile office and home on the road is a 27-foot Airstream trailer! We travel with all we need to run our business and lead an active life: Professional clothes, training gear, bikes, a paddleboard and a dog. One of us flies out every two weeks to meet clients, while the other maintains basecamp operations.
It’s been a steep learning curve, but it’s been a fun one, because we absolutely love being able to meet SMI members. Although we’re all perfectly capable of holding a Zoom meeting, you can never replace a handshake.
References
1. Article in PLANSPONSOR magazine, Dec. 31, 2019. 2. Securities and investment advisory services offered through Royal Alliance Associates, Inc. member FINRA/SIPC. Royal Alliance Associates, Inc. is separately owned and other entities and/or marketing names, products or services referenced here are independent of Royal Alliance Associates, Inc.
Retraction In the Winter 2022 issue of Springs, ads for Gibbs/Interwire were placed in the wrong position. This was an error by Springs magazine and not an error by Gibbs/Interwire. Springs magazine apologizes for the ad placement error. The Gibbs/Interwire ad on page 1 (see below) should have been on the inside back cover.
The Gibbs/Interwire ad on the inside back cover (see below) should have been on page 1
The year is 2022. The world is recovering from a pandemic. Shutdowns and shortages disrupt many companies. To save the day, two preeminent names in the metals industry have joined forces to create a metals powerhouse. Together, they provide an extensive array of high quality products and exceptional service to help you reach for the stars. Relationships with the highest quality mills and our expansive distribution network enable this new alliance to be your strategic partner for all wire and strip needs. YOUR COMPLETE METALS SOLUTION
Scan to learn more or visit the inside back cover
62 | SPRINGS | Spring 2022
©iStockphoto.com/Studio-Pro
Committee Connection
Surveys Help SMI Members Benchmark With the Industry
S
MI regularly surveys its members to help them understand how they are doing relative to others in the industry. The responsibility for distributing these surveys rests with SMI, but an important part of the process is in the input of the SMI Benchmarking committee, which is chaired by Kelley Christy of Diamond Wire Spring. Christy encourages SMI members to participate in these surveys because of the benefit it accrues to their company. “Our company has benefited greatly from the SMI Annual Market Summary
because it helps us understand our business as compared with others in our industry, but it also provides us with an individualized report,” explained Christy. “We also appreciate the wage and benefit and salary surveys to help our company understand how our compensation program compares to other spring companies.” Christy notes that the important part of each SMI survey is the confidentiality provided. “No company data is ever shared with SMI members or SMI itself. You can have complete confidence that what you submit is protected.”
By Gary McCoy
Kelley Christy
If you are interested in becoming a member of the SMI Benchmarking committee, contact Lynne Carr, SMI executive director at 630-495-8588 or email: lynne@smihq.org.
Here’s the schedule of surveys for the remainder of 2022 and into 2023. Key Business Trends
Survey Sent
Responses Due
Results Sent
First quarter 2022
April 5, 2022
April 13, 2022
April 14, 2022
Second quarter 2022
July 11, 2022
July 18, 2022
July 19, 2022
(regular and associate members)
Third quarter 2022
Oct. 4, 2022
Oct. 11, 2022
Oct. 12, 2022
Fourth quarter 2022
Jan. 11, 2022
Jan. 18, 2022
Jan. 19, 2022
Wage & Benefits (every other year — regular member contacts)
Survey Sent
Responses Due
Results Sent
2022
Aug. 6, 2022
Sept. 6, 2022
Sept. 20, 2022
Survey Sent
Responses Due
Results Sent
Oct. 1, 2023
Oct. 30, 2023
Nov. 30, 2023
Survey Sent
Responses Due
Results Sent
Salary
(every other year — regular member contacts)
2023
Annual Market Summary
(regular member contacts and prospective members)
First mailing by SMI
April 4, 2022
Email from SMI
May 4, 2022
Email follow up from previous recipients by Mackay Research Group
May 25, 2022
Published cutoff date for return
May 30, 2022
Industry Report to SMI
July 15, 2022
Individualized Reports to SMI Members
July 30, 2022
SPRINGS | Spring 2022 | 63
INDUSTRY
Booth #507
4.0 READY
BB-25MM
10.00 - 25.00 mm .393 - .984 inches
MACCHINE AVVOLGITRICI SPRING COILING MACHINES
ASPI PAYOFFS
REVISIONI UPGRADES BOBBIO CNC 600-3S WIRE MACHINE SYSTEMS
phone +39 031 536584 fax +39 031 2170001 sales department sales@bbspringtechnology.com service department service@bbspringtechnology.com
·North America Sales·
BB Spring Technology SRL Via G. Puecher, 28 22078 Turate (CO) ITALY bbspringtechnology.com
Jay Griffith jay.griffith@wire-machine.com 6032A Highview Drive Fort Wayne, IN 46818 +1 (260) 483-9269 wire-machine.com
New Products ©iStockphoto.com/hüseyin harmandaglı, morkeman, PeskyMonkey
HB-LD Box Ovens Forming Systems Inc. (FSI) recently introduced the newest oven design from HSI, the HB-LD series of Lift Door Box Ovens with HMI panel. These new ovens are designed for batch stress relieving and heating for a variety of components at a maximum temperature of 500°C (930°F). There are a variety of sizes available, from 180 liters to 2200 liters. The doors are pneumatically operated for ease of operation. Other features include: touch screen panel and PLC controlling system with communication protocols; digital error diagnosis; built-in temperature recording system; estimated power consumption monitoring and recording; remote access via VNC software for monitoring on a PC, tablet device or smartphone; and CQI9-oriented configuration for the automotive industry. Available options include: two-stage programmable temperature control function (HMI-Ep); AMS2750F capable; TUS3 capable; trolley and SS tray systems. For additional information, contact FSI at info@formingsystemsinc.com or 269-679-3557. n
SPRINGS | Spring 2022 | 65
Plan now to participate in SpringWorld® 2022! Join your colleagues at the industry’s premier event.
SpringWorld provides a unique opportunity to network with other spring manufacturers, wire formers, and OEMs. • The premier spring show since 1960. • A global showcase for suppliers to the spring and wire form industry featuring attendees from 18 countries.
• One-on-one discussions with others who share your concerns offering new insights for your business.
• See the newest technology available to improve your productivity, quality and service.
• Attend free educational seminars offered by exhibitors and industry experts.
We’ll see you at
SpringWorld® 2022 October 12-14, 2022 Donald E. Stephens Convention Center Rosemont, IL
presented by www.casmi-springworld.org
New Products
Send Us Your News SMI members get priority placement of their product news. News releases should be roughly 50 to 100 words and may be accompanied by color photos (HiRes .JPEG at 300 dpi preferred). Send to dina@smihq.org.
©iStockphoto.com/RichVintage
Advertisers Index A & D Trading (440) 563-5227. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22 Admiral Steel (800) 323-7055 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Alloy Wire International (866) 482-5569. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 Anchor Abrasives (708) 444-4300 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 BB Spring Technology +39 031 536584 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64 CASMI www.casmi-springworld.com. . . . . 66 Diamond Wire Spring Co (800) 424-0500 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Dispense Works (815) 363-3524. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Elgiloy (888) 843-2350. . . . . inside back cover FENN/Torin (860) 259-6600 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Forming Systems Inc (877) 594-4300 . . . . . . . . . . back cover Gibbs Interwire (800) 800-4422 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Gibraltar (847) 383-5442. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43-44 Industrial Steel & Wire (800) 767-0408. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9, 11 JN Machinery (224) 699-9161. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26-27 John Evans’ Sons (215) 368-7700. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65 Larson Systems (763) 780-2131. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 Mapes Piano String Co (423) 543-3195. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 NIMSCO (563) 391-0400. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65 North American Spring Tool (860) 583-1693. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 Proto Manufacturing (800) 965-8378 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Radcliff Wire (860) 583-1305. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 RK Trading (847) 640-9371. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Simplex Rapid (563) 391-0400. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 Spring Manufacturers Institute (630) 495-8588. . inside front cover, 58 Starrett starrettmetrology.com. . . . . . . . . . . 54 Tool King (847) 537-2881. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 United Wire (800) 840-9481 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 Vinston (847) 972-1098. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 WAFIOS (203) 481-5555. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Zapp Precision Strip (203) 386-0038 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
SPRINGS | Spring 2022 | 67
Snapshot
Favorite song/musician: Currently at top of my playlist is “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” and “Let It Go” thanks to my girls! Hobbies: Hiking, cycling, skiing and being outdoors. Favorite places: Berchtesgadener Land, a beautiful mountain region in the German Alps. Best times of my life: I think that every season in life holds blessings and the potential for great moments and I try to be joyful about each season’s blessings. A really great evening to me is: Family, friends, good food and good wine. The one thing I can’t stand is: Slow walkers! (L-to-r): Markus, Lowenna, Martha, Lucy and Elena Arnold.
Name: Markus Arnold
Current home: Guilford, Connecticut.
Company name and city: WAFIOS Machinery Corporation, Branford, Connecticut.
Family (spouse, children, pets, etc.): My wife, Lucy and our three daughters Martha, 5, Elena, 3, and Lowenna, 8 months.
Brief history of your company: Founded in 1893, WAFIOS is a producer of wire and tube processing machines. For more than 60 years WAFIOS Machinery Corporation has been representing WAFIOS in the United States of America and Canada. Job title: President. Spring industry affiliations: CASMI, SMI and NESMA. Birthplace: Freudenstadt in the Black Forest, Germany.
68 | SPRINGS | Spring 2022
What I like most about being a spring machine producer: The vast variety of applications for our machines and the capabilities of consistently evolving technology. Favorite food: Tough question. I’m a huge fan of food and really appreciate a meal made from scratch. I love trying new and exotic things, but if I had to choose I would say I’m a big fan of Indian cuisine. Favorite books/authors: “My Utmost for His Highest” by Oswald Chambers.
I knew I was an “adult” when: I did my first tax return. If I weren’t working at WAFIOS, I would like to: Sail around the world. The most difficult business decision I ever had to make was: A combined business and family decision to relocate from Germany to the U.S. to start my new position at WAFIOS Machinery Corporation. We are so glad that we did! I would like to be remembered in the spring industry: Along with my colleagues at WAFIOS Machinery Corporation, for enabling customers to achieve great success by providing the right machine and service. But people will probably remember me for: The German who never managed to speak proper English.
©iStockphoto.com/Tryfonov Ievgenii, nicholas belton
Markus Arnold WAFIOS Machinery Corporation
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